Edward Sapir
A foundational figure in linguistic anthropology, known for the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis, which posits that language shapes thought.
Quotes by Edward Sapir
Words are the voice of the mind.
The drift of a language is the unconscious selection on which it rides.
True culture is not a veneer; it is the very fabric of life.
In linguistics, as in life, context is everything.
The American Indian languages are among the most perfect examples of human speech.
To understand a culture, one must live it, not just observe it.
Language is the road map of a culture.
The soul of a people is in its language.
Civilization advances by the few, not the many.
Phonemes are the atoms of speech.
In the dance of words, meaning emerges.
Anthropologists are detectives of the human spirit.
The future of linguistics lies in its integration with psychology.
Culture without personality is a corpse.
Every word is a window to the world.
The study of primitive languages reveals the complexity of the human mind.
Life's meaning is found in the connections we forge through language and culture.
Humor in language is the spice of communication.
As I lay dying, I realized that the greatest gift is understanding another's tongue.
Politics is but the shadow of culture on the wall of power.