logoalt Hacker News

ninjagootoday at 4:50 AM1 replyview on HN

> am asking for a precision of language.

“The problem with defending the purity of the English language is that English is about as pure as a cribhouse wh***. We don’t just borrow words; on occasion, English has pursued other languages down alleyways to beat them unconscious and rifle their pockets for new vocabulary.”* --James D. Nicoll

* Does not generally apply to scientific papers


Replies

xerox13stertoday at 4:58 AM

Precision of ideas isn't purity of language.

show 1 reply