Meaning Meaning, linguistic or cultural, is not given. It is the product of social relationships and social interactions, the results of cultural debates and negotiations, and in the end the result of the development or imposition of what functions as a consensus.' (Jourdan 2008:386)

Alfred De Saint-Quentin A close analysis has convinced me of what may appear paradoxical. It is that if one wanted to assemble a general language which would, after a few days' study, allow a clear and systematic exchange of simple ideas, one could not choose a more logical or fruitful foundation than that of creole syntax.' (Alfred de Saint-Quentin, 1872 - quot. in Todd 1981:92)

Otto Jespersen On English It is of course, impossible to characterize a language in one formula; languages, like men, are too composite to have their whole essence summed up in one short expression. Nevertheless, there is one expression that continually comes to my mind whenever I think of the English language and compare it with others: it is to me positively and expressly masculine, it is the language of a grown-up man and has very little childish or feminine about it. A great many things go together to produce and to confirm that impression, things phonetical, grammatical, and lexical, words and turns that are found, and words and turns that are not found, in the language.' (1948:2)