queneau-ordinary-language

May 12, 2025

English writers write spoken English and American writers write spoken American. And the most striking thing of all is that their scientists, their scholars and their historians write an English that is the English of the man in the street, whereas in France, when it comes to science or history, we are still obliged to write in formal language. I want to write in a living language — in the language of the ordinary man.

Previous
Next

Thought:

“But nothing is lasting in this world. Even joy begins to fade after only one minute. Two minutes later, and it is weaker still, until finally it is swallowed up in our everyday, prosaic state of mind, just as a ripple made by a pebble gradually merges with the smooth surface of the water.”

Nikolai Gogol | “The Nose”

INSTAGRAM

BANDCAMP

YOUTUBE