"Fools, most linguists. Damn all to say in one language, so they learn another and say damn all in that"
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John Le Carré’s remark, “Fools, most linguists. Damn all to say in one language, so they learn another and say damn all in that,” bristles with both wit and cynicism. He lampoons linguists not for their skill, but for what he sees as a lack of substance behind their linguistic prowess. Rather than applauding the dedication involved in mastering multiple languages, Le Carré jabs at the possibility that some people chase languages not out of a love for meaningful expression but for the hollow pursuit of novelty, or perhaps to mask their lack of original content.
He wields a double-edged criticism: language, in its essence, is a vehicle for communication, for ideas of value and significance. To learn a new language, then, ought to serve the purpose of broadening perspective or deepening ability to converse with others. Le Carré darkly suggests that some linguists, however, may focus so inwardly on structure, grammar, and vocabulary that the original intent, sharing meaningful thought, is neglected. They become obsessed with the shell, forgetting the substance that should fill it.
This tongue-in-cheek barb can be read as a broader skepticism toward expertise devoid of purpose. It flirts with the notion that pure technical skill, absent of something genuine or significant to say, is little more than empty posturing. Mastery of language without worthy content reduces conversation to a hollow exercise, regardless of whether it occurs in one tongue or many. Le Carré’s quip is not just about linguists, but about human tendencies: the temptation to value form over substance, to mistake process for purpose.
Yet, embedded in the sarcasm is a challenge. The gift of language, whether native or acquired, only matters if it is used to express something real or valuable. The statement cautions against mistaking the adornment of knowledge for true wisdom, and reminds us that eloquence, regardless of language, is meaningless without worth behind the words.
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