Salman Rushdie Quotes about Language

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We were language's magpies by nature, stealing whatever sounded bright and shiny.

We were language's magpies by nature, stealing whatever sounded bright and shiny.

Salman Rushdie

Language, Stealing, Magpies

Salman Rushdie (2000). “The Ground Beneath Her Feet: A Novel”, p.56, Macmillan

And at the end of the day, there was an attempt to suppress a book. The book wasn't suppressed. It's freely available in whatever it is, close to 50 languages. There was an attempt to suppress the writer. And I'm happy to say the writer wasn't suppressed.

Salman Rushdie

Book, The End Of The Day, Language

"In 'Joseph Anton,' Salman Rushdie Writes Novelistically About His Own Life". "PBS NewsHour" with Jeffrey Brown, www.pbs.org. October 7, 2012.

English, no longer an English language, now grows from many roots.

Salman Rushdie

Roots, Language, English Language

The Times (London), July 3, 1982.

Language upon a silvered tongue affords enchantment enough.

Salman Rushdie

Enchantment, Tongue, Language

Salman Rushdie (2008). “The Enchantress of Florence”, p.75, Random House

I don't think I've ever quite grown out of it, actually. There was a point where I could recite some of those Elvish verses - which I've mercifully forgotten. But I can still, if really pushed, recite the text of the inside of the ruling ring in the language of Mordor.

Salman Rushdie

Thinking, Language, Forgotten