Wry or self-deprecating quotes about linguistics

[Tristan Miller]

Dear all,

Samuel Johnson famously defined a lexicographer as "a harmless drudge".
Have any other lexicographers or linguists made similarly
self-deprecating statements about their profession? (I tried some web
searches but came up empty-handed; ChatGPT provided some real zingers
from the likes of Ferdinand de Saussure, Noam Chomsky, and David
Crystal, alas all hallucinated.)

Regards,
Tristan

[Aidan Kehoe]

Samuel Johnson famously defined a lexicographer as "a harmless drudge". Have
any other lexicographers or linguists made similarly self-deprecating
statements about their profession? (I tried some web searches but came up
empty-handed; ChatGPT provided some real zingers from the likes of Ferdinand
de Saussure, Noam Chomsky, and David Crystal, alas all hallucinated.)

Part of the difficulty with this is that Chomsky and e.g. Boas have and had
egos the size of North America. I do think one needs a robust self-confidence
to be good in the field, above and beyond what those around you would support,
something which will not make people quick to self-deprecation.

[HenHanna]

Post by Aidan Kehoe

Samuel Johnson famously defined a lexicographer as "a harmless drudge". Have
any other lexicographers or linguists made similarly self-deprecating
statements about their profession? (I tried some web searches but came up
empty-handed; ChatGPT provided some real zingers from the likes of Ferdinand
de Saussure, Noam Chomsky, and David Crystal, alas all hallucinated.)

Part of the difficulty with this is that Chomsky and e.g. Boas have and had
egos the size of North America. I do think one needs a robust self-confidence
to be good in the field, above and beyond what those around you would support,
something which will not make people quick to self-deprecation.

Lunasa is August? is it related to Lunes, Lunar, Looney?



----- Can an anagram amuse senile lexicographers?



interesting linguists in movies:
Henry Higgins
and the one played by Jimmy Stewart

the one played by Amy Adams

[Aidan Kehoe]

Post by HenHanna

Post by Aidan Kehoe

Post by Tristan Miller
Samuel Johnson famously defined a lexicographer as "a harmless
drudge". Have any other lexicographers or linguists made similarly
self-deprecating statements about their profession? (I tried some web
searches but came up empty-handed; ChatGPT provided some real zingers
from the likes of Ferdinand de Saussure, Noam Chomsky, and David
Crystal, alas all hallucinated.)

Part of the difficulty with this is that Chomsky and e.g. Boas have and
had egos the size of North America. I do think one needs a robust
self-confidence to be good in the field, above and beyond what those
around you would support, something which will not make people quick to
self-deprecation.

Lunasa is August? is it related to Lunes, Lunar, Looney?

Yes. No.

Post by HenHanna
----- Can an anagram amuse senile lexicographers?
Henry Higgins
and the one played by Jimmy Stewart
the one played by Amy Adams