Related quotes: Language is not an abstract...

Language is not an abstract construction of the learned, or of dictionary makers, but is something arising out of the work, needs, ties, joys, affections, tastes, of long generations of humanity, and has its bases broad and low, close to the ground.

quote by Noah Webster
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!

Related quotes

I Want To Live On An Abstract Plain

Ive had it with this town
I never saw those shifting skies
I never saw the ground
Or the sunset rise
I want to live on an abstract plane
Im building a frame
A place to put my ten-yard stare
Thinking of that paint
Painted in plein-air
I want to live on an abstract plane
I need a new adress
I want some new terrain
Is it north or south?
I want to live on an abstract plain
I could sit on the roof
On top of that abstract house
See my abstract view
An abstract mouse
I want to live on an abstract plane
I need a new adress
Tell me Im not insane
Is it up or down?
I want to live on an abstract plane

song performed by by Frank Black
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!

Under Construction

His accent serenades me
And presses at the door
Broken promise to be
Around for my mind war
And my accomplishments interrogating me
Todays become tomorrow
Before I wanted it to be
And desperate discussions
The start of the destruction
Our sign, in my mind
Ill be fine
Ill be fine
cause Im under construction everyone
So youll have to mind the mess
Im under some construction
I always had to try harder
I never really could keep up
Sitting in the corner
With my illness and bad luck
But in this humble place Im feeling like red wine
And I hope to get better
With some time
Ill be fine
With some time
Ill be fine
cause Im under construction everyone
So youll have to mind the mess
Im under some construction
Confection
Modification
Motivation
Of construction
And the rituals that soothe
And disgust me will be gone
With some time
Ill be fine
With some time
Ill be fine
Ill be fine
Im under construction everyone
So youll have to mind the mess
Im under some construction
Im under construction everyone
So youll have to mind the mess
Im under some construction
Under construction
Construction
Feel better with some construction

song performed by by No Doubt
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!

Your Dictionary

H-a-t-e
Is that how you spell love in your dictionary
K-i-c-k
Pronounced as kind
F-u-c-k
Is that how you spell friend in your dictionary
Black on black
A guidebook for the blind
Well now that I can see my eyes wont weep
Now that I can hear your song sounds cheap
Now that I can talk all your corn Ill reap
Im not so sure that joey wed a virgin mary
There are no words for me inside your dictionary
S-l-a-p
Is that how you spell kiss in your dictionary
C-o-l-d
Pronounced as care
S-h-i-t
Is that how you spelt me in your dictionary
Four-eyed fool
You led round everywhere
Now that I can see its the queens new clothes
Now that I can hear all your poison prose
Now that I can talk with my tongue unfroze
Im not so sure of santa or the buck-tooth fairy
There are no words for me inside your dictionary
Now your laughter has a hollow ring
But the hollow ring has no finger in
So lets close the book and let the day begin
And our marriage be undone

song performed by by Xtc
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!

The Scaffolding

The poles and planks were erected.
And on the platforms the skinny people work for the buildings.
Day by day the skyscraper goes high with the workers
And they are very close to the Sun, Moon and Stars.
Though they love the Stars none of them aware of the heavenly bodies' language.
The construction was almost over and these hopeless souls returned to their tumbledown shacks.

I dedicate this poem to the contemporary poet Frank James Ryan, Jr. in gratitude.

poem by Nimal Dunuhinga
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!

Perl was designed to work more like a natural language. It's a little more complicated but there are more shortcuts, and once you learned the language, it's more expressive.

quote by Larry Wall
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!

San Francisco has long been a leader in the arts, nurturing generations of painters, sculptors, poets, novelists, playwrights, film-makers, and performing artists and innovators of every kind.

quote by Gavin Newsom
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!

Hymn 165

Unfruitfulness, ignorance, and unsanctified affections.

Long have I sat beneath the sound
Of thy salvation, Lord;
But still how weak my faith is found,
And knowledge of thy word!

Oft I frequent thy holy place,
And hear almost in vain;
How small a portion of thy grace
My memory can retain!

[My dear Almighty, and my God,
How little art thou known
By all the judgments of thy rod,
And blessings of thy throne!]

How cold and feeble is my love!
How negligent my fear!
How low my hope of joys above!
How few affections there!

Great God! thy sovereign power impart
To give thy word success;
Write thy salvation in my heart,
And make me learn thy grace.

[Show my forgetful feet the way
That leads to joys on high;
There knowledge grows without decay,
And love shall never die.]

poem by Isaac Watts
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!

Dr Samuel Johnson's Dictionary Masterpiece

June 1746 deeply dissatisfied
with the dictionaries of the period
London booksellers contracted

Dr Samuel Johnson to write
'A Dictionary of the English Language'
15 April 1755 finally published.

Johnson took nine years to create
an authoritative dictionary of the English language
could finish in three years he claimed?

Preposterous Académie Française employed;
in comparison over forty learned scholars
spending needing forty years to complete;

its dictionary in the French language.
Forty Frenchmen times forty years
is not nine but 1600 years to complete.

Miracle miracle Johnson 1591 years defeats.
For what princely sum did Johnson contract
with William Strahan and printer associates;

a preeminent Dictionary in English to complete?
18 June 1746 in historic morning was signed
a project prestigious contact worth 1,500 guineas?

This sum of 1,500 guineas is
in pounds £1,575 equivalent
in 2012 to about £230,000.

A consortium of London's most
successful printers including Robert
Dodsley, Thomas Longman, would

finance a dictionary none could afford;
on such scale to undertake alone, thus was
contracted to be; a meticulous feat of legend.

Twas said 'the world contemplated
with wonder so stupendous a work achieved
by one man, while other countries

had thought such undertakings
fit only for whole academies'.'
OED took writers 70 years to complete.

Johnson's Dictionary unlike all proto-dictionaries;
earlier printed painstaking care exhibited
an exact completeness in illustrations definitions.

Upon bold title page was proud acknowledged;
Oxford had awarded Johnson a Master of Arts
degree in anticipation of so great an achievement.

This titanic marvel an unprecedented;
dictionary contained pages 18 inches
46 cm tall nearly 20 inches 50 cm wide.

Paper chosen was of the finest;
quality available running to a cost
of near £1,600 more than sum paid;

to Johnson to write what he pronounced
to be 'Vasta mole superbus' 'Proud
in its great bulk' a marvelous achievement.

No book this size except a few special editions;
of the Bible had even been set to type thus
no single bookseller could this book hope to print.

With pride Dr Samuel Johnson proclaims his;
'A Dictionary of the English Language' as words
deduced from their originals illustrated;

in their different significations by examples;
from the best writers to which he had prefixed
an English Grammar a history of the language.

Revolutionary genius Johnson's important;
innovation was to illustrate the meanings
of words with famous English literary quotations;

approximately 114,000 by the best writers;
Shakespeare, Milton and Dryden were authors
by Johnson most frequently included cited.

The colossal work each copy cost £4/10/- equivalent;
to £675 in 2005, a small fortune, so exorbitant an amount,
that five editions and thirty years later only copies 6,000;

had been sold averaging 200 books a year for thirty years.
Publication universal appreciation a standing ovation heralds
honours innovative content and Johnson's efforts to create it.

poem by Terence George Craddock
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!

Webster's American Spellings

One spelling was English established.
Webster's Dictionary spells it incorrect?
Noah Webster in the early 19th century...

busily composed comprehensive dictionaries.
Numerous unrelated dictionaries added
Webster's name to share prestige established.

Oh bother Webster's first dictionary
‘A Compendious Dictionary of the English Language'
aired first appeared in 1806 was hexed?

With American spellings it was freely littered?
Spelling honor not honour center not centre.
Webster's program not programme spread what?

Two decades of his spelling confusions expanded?
An ‘American Dictionary of the English Language'
in 1828 lead in 1841 to his edition revised expanded?

In two volumes a 2nd Edition ‘Corrected Enlarged'?
Webster's vocabulary 1st edition with corrections
improvements plus five thousand additional words?

But acid test Webster's endeavors were poorly received?
Specific criticisms typographic unattractiveness included?
Webster's type face was bad choice too small hard to read?

Why write non-use of capital letters only 'God' capitalized?
Why because goal was to save space to fit in obscure words?
Why dictionary excessive use of citations which offended?

Why decision deliberate
misspellings as legitimate
sanctified word variants?

Culturally conservative Federalists
intensely detested Webster innovations
Webster Dictionary denounced?

Webster's Dictionary
too radical complaint
bordering on vulgar?

Webster's fierce foes
Jefferson Madison
Republicans attacked?

Labeled Webster mad
for writing Compendious
Dictionary 1806 published?

poem by Terence George Craddock
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!

It is sad to see a woman sacrificing the ties of the affections even to do good.

quote by Maria Mitchell
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!

At our company, our Design and Construction Consulting Service Team not only helps eliminate the risks inherent in the construction process, they typically save our clients 5% - 10% on overall construction costs. They also help make sure projects come in on time.

quote by Roger Staubach
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!

A School Song

Prelude to "Stalky & Co."

"Let us now praise famous men"--
Men of little showing--
For their work continueth,
And their work continueth,
Broad and deep continues,
Greater then their knowing!

Western wind and open surge
Took us from our mothers--
Flung us on a naked shore
(Twelve bleak houses by the shore.
Seven summers by the shore! )
'Mid two hundred brothers.

There we met with famous men
Set in office o'er us;
And they beat on us with rods--
Faithfully with many rods--
Daily beat us on with rods,
For the love they bore us!

Out of Egypt unto Troy--
Over Himalaya--
Far and sure our bands have gone--
Hy-Brazil or Babylon,
Islands of the Southern Run,
And Cities of Cathaia!

And we all praise famous men--
Ancients of the College;
For they taught us common sense--
Tried to teach us common sense--
Truth and God's Own Common Sense,
Which is more than knowledge!

Each degree of Latitude
Strung about Creation
Seeth one or more of us
(Of one muster each of us),
Diligent in that he does,
Keen in his vocation.

This we learned from famous men,
Knowing not its uses,
When they showed, in daily work--
Man must finish off his work--
Right or wrong, his daily work--
And without excuses.

Servant of the Staff and chain,
Mine and fuse and grapnel--
Some, before the face of Kings,
Stand before the face of Kings;
Bearing gifts to divers Kings--
Gifts of case and shrapnel.

This we learned from famous men
Teaching in our borders,
Who declared it was best,
Safest, easiest, and best--
Expeditious, wise, and best--
To obey your orders.

Some beneath the further stars
Bear the greater burden:
Set to serve the lands they rule,
(Save he serve no man may rule),
Serve and love the lands they rule;
Seeking praise nor guerdon.

This we learned from famous men,
Knowing not we learned it.
Only, as the years went by--
Lonely, as the years went by--
Far from help as years went by,
Plainer we discerned it.

Wherefore praise we famous men
From whose bays we borrow--
They that put aside To-day--
All the joys of their To-day--
And with toil of their To-day
Bought for us To-morrow!

Bless and praise we famous men--
Men of little showing--
For their work continueth,
And their work continueth,
Broad and deep continueth,
Great beyond their knowing!

poem by Rudyard Kipling
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!

Joys Of Christmas

I see all the tough guys still not 25
Dying on their feet
Coughing, honking, cadging cigarettes
And still out on the street
Well, they got no money, nowhere to go
Fathers of 2, 3 maybe 4, what are they gonna do
Jimmy got a busted mouth in a fight last night
He says hes ok
Going down to the workies club (thats a laugh)
To buy something strong and take the pain away
Joys of christmas
Joys of christmas
Northern style
Flashing christmas light of police blue
Go spinning down the street
Women try to drag the men from pubs
Into the stores
And work hands in empty pockets deep
We stand outside the neon ice and wish ourselves the best
He says hes ok, out of work and fighting
Is all hes ever known
And laughs and says I worry too much anyway
Joys of christmas
Joys of christmas
Northern style
Lets drink to the likes of jim
Before we all go insane
And please dont ask me why
Itll take too long to explain
Joys of christmas

song performed by by Chris Rea
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!

A Dictionary (revised Version)

An eager beginner’s trusted cicerone
In the gossamer of abecedarian warrens
An ever-flowing brook beside a book-worm
Slaking his never-ending thirst for a fresh idiom
A writer’s permanent bed-side companion
On and on, blooming in him
Novel thought-jasmines
A poet’s handy spice-box of imagery
For use ready in his verse-cuisine
It is dictionary; our warehouse of vocabulary

A A word anew when learned opens the gates
To the splendid new world of ken and acumen

Let us master the word, its usage and spirit
Right and perfect and offer to our fellow men
Our best message, sweet, yet candid and straight

Oh dear English! The million-word-rich treasure
You are the language making this world, one world
The golden cord connecting the humanity, bead by bead
When we find you; we conquer this planet for sure

poem by Sathya Narayana
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!

Check It Out

Million young poets
Screamin?out their words
To a world full of people
Just livin?to be heard
Future generations
Ridinon the highways that we built
I hope, that they have better understanding
Check it out
Goin to work on monday
Check it out
Got yourself a family
Check it out
All utility bills have been paid
You cant tell your best buddy
That you love him
So check it out
Where does our time go
Check it out
Got a brand new house in escrow
Check it out
Sleepin?with your back
To your loved one
This is all, we have learned
About happiness
Check it out,
Forgot to say hello to my neighbours
Check it out
Sometimes i question my own behavior
Check it out
Talkin?about the girls, weve
Seen on the sly
Just to tell our souls
Were still the young lions
So check it out
Gettin?too drunk on saturdays
Check it out
Playin?football with the kids
On sundays
Check it out
Soaring with the eagles all week long
And this is all, we have learned
About living
This is all, we have learned
About living
A million young poets
Screamin?out their words
Maybe someday
Those words will be heard
By future generations
Ridin?on the highways that we built
Maybe theyll have a better understanding
Check it out
Maybe theyll have a better understanding
Check it out
Maybe theyll have a better understanding
Check it out
Maybe theyll have a better understanding
Check it out
Hope theyll have a better understanding
Check it out ...

song performed by by John Mellencamp
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!

Intended For Humanity

That which has been made to believe...
And that which is a 'divine' perception given,
And received.
May conflict.
And restrictions are enforced.
To endorse a conformity.

What is intended for humanity...
Has been based upon interpretation.
Mostly by those who have chosen,
A direction to impose.
And which beliefs would be condoned.

The Earth we inhabit,
Has always been a sphere...
Allowing life to breed and leech upon it!

Before explorers discovered this fact,
This world had one time been considered flat.
Did earlier civilizations like the Eygptians know that?
And where did their knowledge come from?

Many thousands of years...
Prior to religious zealots decided to adopt fears,
To entice and develop separatism and division!
Decisions were made with 'supernatural' precision.
And yet...
Humanity continues a quest to comprehend it all,
Beyond our current 'fenced in' limitations!
With a certain 'breakthrough' that comes...
To enlighten and heighten our selective consciousness.

Note:
'Zealot' as interpretated by the Merriam Webster's
Collegiate Dictionary-Tenth Edition

Zealot: (1537) A member of a 'fanatical' sect arising
in Judea during the first century A.D. and militantly
opposing the Roman domination of Palestine.

poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!

They are imbeciles who call my work abstract. That which they call abstract is the most realistic, because what is real is not the exterior but the idea, the essence of things.

quote by Constantin Brancusi
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!

Payment

A tortuous path of neurons arced a call: ‘Awake! ’
I did; in rising, peering, stretching, bearing,
Pained anticipation saw it all:
Foretold, another filthy day.

I drew the drape: diluvian lay the ground
Beneath a lazy leaden cloud – apissing out
The puddles; irksome on the roof –
The drumming drops of bitter glee
Were hounding out a hapless me –
Reinforcing doubt that I am sound.

I left the house
to go to work
to earn a crust
without a perk
then on to bust
another straining vessel.

Trudging on thro’ mud and clay, I pondered:
‘Why a drought of happy times?
Auspicious climes were
Old and fusty books
Atop a dusty shelf
Inside a morgue-of-a-room,
Somewhere in a long-forgotten library
Down a lane without a way.’

I thought again: ‘And still I pay.’

O how I
work work work work work work work work
work work work work work work work work
work work work work work work work work
work work work work work work work work
work work work work work work work work
work work work work work work work work
work work work work work work work work
work work work work work work work work

poem by Mark R Slaughter
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!

Hymn 77

The love of Christ to the church, in his language to her,
and provisions for her.

SS 7:5-13.

Now in the galleries of his grace
Appears the King, and thus he says,
"How fair my saints are in my sight!
My love how pleasant for delight!"

Kind is thy language, sovereign Lord,
There's heav'nly grace in every word;
From that dear mouth a stream divine
Flows sweeter than the choicest wine.

Such wondrous love awakes the lip
Of saints that were almost asleep,
To speak the praises of thy name,
And makes our cold affections flame.

These are the joys he lets us know
In fields and villages below;
Gives us a relish of his love,
But keeps his noblest feast above.

In Paradise, within the gates,
A higher entertainment waits
Fruits new and old laid up in store,
Where we shall feed, but thirst no more.