| Link | Quote | Stars | Tags | Author |
| 6bf9914 | "I come from the sort of family in which, at the age of ten, I was told I must always say , never "the ," because meant "the," and two "the's" were redundant -- indeed something only would say." | usage | Anne Fadiman | |
| 07cd39d | One of the undoubted virtues of English is that it is a fluid and democratic language in which meanings shift and change in response to the pressures of common usage rather than the dictates of committees. It is a natural process that has been going on for centuries. To interfere with that process is arguably both arrogant and futile, since clearly the weight of usage will push new meanings into currency no matter how many authorities hurl themselves into the path of change. | usage | Bill Bryson |