Quotes by Benjamin Whorf

Benjamin Whorf

American linguist and engineer

Lived from: 1897 - 1941

Category: Scientists

Quotes 1 till 7 of 7.

  • At the same time, new concepts and abstractions flow into the picture, taking up the task of describing the universe without reference to such time or space - abstractions for which our language lacks adequate terms.
    ― Benjamin Whorf
    - +
     0
  • But in due course it became evident that not only a physical situation qua physics, but the meaning of that situation to people, was sometimes a factor, through the behavior of people, in the start of a fire.
    ― Benjamin Whorf
    - +
     0
  • Language shapes the way we think, and determines what we can think about.
    ― Benjamin Lee Whorf
    - +
     0
  • Most metaphysical words in Hopi are verbs, not nouns as in European languages.
    ― Benjamin Whorf
    - +
     0
  • My analysis was directed toward purely physical conditions, such as defective wiring, presence of lack of air spaces between metal flues and woodwork, etc., and the results were presented in these terms.
    ― Benjamin Whorf
    - +
     0
  • Too long has the public mind considered religion to be synonymous with priestcraft.
    ― Benjamin Whorf
    - +
     0
  • We dissect nature along lines laid down by our native language. Language is not simply a reporting device for experience but a defining framework for it.
    ― Benjamin Whorf
    - +
     0
All Benjamin Whorf famous quotes and sayings you will always find on greatest-quotations.com

Popular subjects

Popular authors

Questions and Answers

What are the most famous quotes from Benjamin Whorf?

The two most famous quotes from Benjamin Whorf are:

  • "At the same time, new concepts and abstractions flow into the picture, taking up the task of describing the universe without reference to such time or space - abstractions for which our language lacks adequate terms."
  • "But in due course it became evident that not only a physical situation qua physics, but the meaning of that situation to people, was sometimes a factor, through the behavior of people, in the start of a fire."

When did Benjamin Whorf live?

Benjamin Whorf was born in 1897 and died in the year 1941.