Multilingual Quotes

“At first, we should read with a blitheness practically bordering on superficiality; later on, with a conscientiousness close to distrust.”
― Kató Lomb, Polyglot: How I Learn Languages

“Language is present in a piece of writing like the sea in a single drop.”
― Kató Lomb, Polyglot: How I Learn Languages

“A complicated structure? Undoubtedly. But after all, the cathedral of Milan is complicated too, and you still look at it with awe.”
― Kató Lomb

“I want to see a flowering of Arab and Jewish cultures in a country without racism or anti-Semitism, without rich or poor or spat-upon: everyone beneath the vine and fig tree living in peace and unafraid. A homeland for each and every one of us between the mountains and the sea. A multilingual, multireligious, many-colored and -peopled land where the orange tree blooms for all. I will not surrender this vision for any lesser compromise.”
― Aurora Levins Morales, Getting Home Alive

“Now I am writing this diary in English, which for me is not the language of intimacy or love, but an attempt at distance and sanity, a means of recalling normality.”
― Jasmina Tešanović, The Diary of a Political Idiot: Normal Life in Belgrade

“Mayor Pete, people are like, “Wow! He speaks like a gazillion languages. Isn’t he so smart?” And I’m like, “Well, actually, you could go to many places in the world where people speak those gazillion languages, right, and they’re not positioned as smart in the same way.”

(4/10/2020 on Vocal Fries podcast)”
― Nelson Flores

“AI can translate info, not inkling,
AI can translate facts, not poetry.
Till a tongue transcends lips to soul,
Translations are but soulless forgery.

Each language leaves a distinct mental imprint,
Inaccessible by the fanciest of translator.
Translation gives a glimpse into the head,
Language is highway to the soul of a culture.”
― Abhijit Naskar, Rowdy Scientist: Handbook of Humanitarian Science

“Weißt du, früher hatte ich voll die Schwierigkeiten mit dem steirischen Dialekt", murmle ich und betrachte jeden Millimeter seines Gesichts. "Zu Hause haben wir ja nur Urdu oder Punjabi gesprochen und im Fernsehen und im Unterricht sprachen alle immer hochdeutsch. Manchmal in Reality Shows mit diesem deutsch-deutschen Akzent halt. Aber Steirisch hörte ich nur von den anderen Kindern, die es wegen ihrer Eltern sprachen, und es gab echt viele Ausdrücke, die ich nicht verstand. Und da war dieses eine Mädchen, das sich immer darüber lustig gemacht hat, wenn ich nachfragte. Sie hat in der ganzen Klasse rumgeschrien, wie dumm es von mir war, dass ich es nicht besser wusste."
"Als ob man sich dafür entschuldigen müsste, dass man mehrsprachig aufwächst", murrt Tariq.
"Oder?"
"Nuh hatte früher auch viele Probleme mit seinen Mitschülern. Die haben ihn immer wegen seines Namens geärgert, deswegen nennt er sich jetzt lieber Noah."
"Oha. Als ob er sich selbst white washed."
"Jap. Kinder können grausam sein.”
― Mehwish Sohail, Like water in your hands

“Languages are but echoes of each other, Based on the environment each feels unique. No language is superior, no language is inferior, All are born of human mind to meet at heart's peak.”
― Abhijit Naskar, Insan Himalayanoğlu: It's Time to Defect

“I don't do drugs, languages are my LSD.”
― Abhijit Naskar, Abigitano: El Divino Refugiado

“The deepest connection you have with someone & their culture, is through learning their language.”
― Marisa J Taylor, Happy within / Feliz por dentro: Children's Book Bilingual English Spanish

“AI can translate info, not inkling,
AI can translate facts, not poetry.
Till a tongue transcends lips to soul,
Translations are but soulless forgery.”
― Abhijit Naskar, Rowdy Scientist: Handbook of Humanitarian Science

“Each language leaves a distinct mental imprint,
Inaccessible by the fanciest of translator.
Translation gives a glimpse into the head,
Language is highway to the soul of a culture.”
― Abhijit Naskar, Rowdy Scientist: Handbook of Humanitarian Science

“All through history every culture on earth has produced its distinct literature - American literature, British literature, Latino Literature, Arabic literature, Turkish literature, European literature, Bengali literature and so on. I am none of these, because I am all of these - Naskar is the amalgamation of all of world's cultures. Naskar is the first epitome of integrated Earth literature - where there is no inferior, no superior - no greater, no lesser. Soulfulness of Rumiland, heartfulness of Martíland, correctiveness of MLKland, sweetness of Tagoreland - merge them all in the fire of love, and lo emerges Naskarland - merge them all in the fire of love, and lo emerges lightland.”
― Abhijit Naskar, Rowdy Scientist: Handbook of Humanitarian Science

“The biggest requirement of learning is to know your limits of the moment. Let me elaborate with an example. Alongside my mainstream works, I have wanted to create complete works in turkish and spanish for several years. And few years back, with my rather limited experiential understanding of both languages, I even took it upon myself to do so, but I got stuck on the very first page. Why? Because it is one thing to pen occasional gems in another language, and totally different to release an entire work in that language. I was ready at heart, but not at brain. So, instead of writing whole works in these languages, I simply made turkish and spanish a joyful addition to my mainstream work - however the original linguistic and cultural intention kept reflecting in the titles of works, such as Aşkanjali, The Gentalist, Gente Mente Adelante, Mucize Insan and so on. It was not until late 2023 that my brain finally caught up with my heart, and delivered the first complete original turkish and spanish Naskarean works to the world.

Know your strongholds, they'll take you far. Know your shortfalls, they'll take you farther. Strongholds help you enhance your predominant capacities, whereas shortfalls help you unfold new possibilities - they help you unfold new vistas of human endeavor.”
― Abhijit Naskar, Visvavatan: 100 Demilitarization Sonnets

“Language is magic,
I wield that magic in my breath.
My brain is a symphony of portals,
each transcending past exclusivity,
into distinct linguocultural awareness.”
― Abhijit Naskar, Visvavatan: 100 Demilitarization Sonnets

“Language is magic, culture is magic,
I wield that magic in my breath.
My brain is a symphony of portals,
Each transcending past exclusivity,
into distinct linguocultural awareness.”
― Abhijit Naskar

“Plenticultural (Sonnet 1434)

When I get mad, I revert to English,
because English is my first language.
When I feel romantic, I revert to Turkish,
because Turkish is my love language.

When I feel passionate, I revert to Spanish,
because Spanish is my passion language.
When I feel electric, I revert to Telugu,
because Telugu is my power language.

When nothing works, I revert to Korean,
because Korean is my backup language.
And you wonder why I never run empty,
why the natural spring is ever abundant!

Language is the gateway to culture,
Culture is the gateway to life.
I am no person who speaks many tongues,
I am the proof of plenticultural life.”
― Abhijit Naskar, Dervis Vadisi: 100 Promissory Sonnets

“Language is the gateway to culture,
Culture is the gateway to life.
I am no person who speaks many tongues,
I am the proof of plenticultural life.”
― Abhijit Naskar, Dervis Vadisi: 100 Promissory Sonnets

“Language is the gateway to culture, culture is the gateway to life.”
― Abhijit Naskar, Dervis Vadisi: 100 Promissory Sonnets

“Amor Armada (The Sonnet)

I don't do drugs,
languages are my LSD.
Half-lovers crave escape,
I crave absolute unity.

Music is my MDMA,
Cultures, my cocaine.
Languages are my LSD,
People are my heaven.

Those drunk on love, language and
culture, need no artificial stimulant.
Only the half-lovers and the half-dead,
chase booze, drugs and institutions.

I'm drunk with the spirit of sacrifice,
You can keep your puny bottled charisma.
In a world of broken glass and
cigarette buds, I am Amor Armada.”
― Abhijit Naskar, Abigitano: El Divino Refugiado

“Those drunk on love, language and culture, need no artificial stimulant. Only the half-lovers and the half-dead, chase booze, drugs and institutions.”
― Abhijit Naskar, Abigitano: El Divino Refugiado

“If you simply copy and paste instant translations, you only end up with meaningless and contextless junk, which has no relation to the culture and the people.”
― Abhijit Naskar, World War Human: 100 New Earthling Sonnets

“Better to have no translation, than to have a translation without soul.”
― Abhijit Naskar, World War Human: 100 New Earthling Sonnets

“Even after speaking six languages, I say, the supreme language is love.”
― Abhijit Naskar, Visvavictor: Kanima Akiyor Kainat

“Mumbai is the shahar of dreams to which thousands flock every year. Its beauty and glory are both enchanting and enticing. It’s a city of fortunes, a city of poverty, a city of hope, a city of pain, a city of success, a city of loss, a city of stories, a city of games, a city of fate, a city of destiny, a city of love and a city of heartbreak. Changes occur in Mumbai minute by minute, mile by mile and inch by inch. Some dreams gain flight, while others burn in despair.

Mumbai is a city that never sleeps. It is always abuzz. Its inhabitants are multilingual and of different faiths. Some come to Mumbai in search of their passion, while others come in search of an identity. The shahar’s glamor, fashion and film stars attract people from all over India. The ameer, the gareeb, all come to Mumbai to search for their niche with the umeed of making it big someday. Hence, the hustle and bustle of the city makes its inhabitants feel both unimportant and significant simultaneously.”
― Ekamjit Ghuman, Train to Mumbai

“I have no mother-language, every mother is my mother, every language, my language.”
― Abhijit Naskar, Neurosonnets: The Naskar Art of Neuroscience

“My brain is multilingual,
my heart is multicultural,
my life is multidimensional,
I exist for I dissolve in all.”
― Abhijit Naskar, Iftar-e Insaniyat: The First Supper

“One broken second language is far more valuable than all the mass-produced subtitles.”
― Abhijit Naskar, Kral Fakir: When Calls The Kainat

“Speaking more than one language delays age-related cognitive decline.”
― Abhijit Naskar, Kral Fakir: When Calls The Kainat