11+ Henry Watson Fowler Quotes On Education, Nature And Art

Henry Watson Fowler was an English lexicographer and grammarian. He is best known for his works on the English language, such as the Dictionary of Modern English Usage and A Dictionary of Modern English Usage. He was also the author of The King's English, a style guide that is still used today. Following is our collection on famous quotes by Henry Watson Fowler on education, life, nature.

Prefer the familiar word to the far-fetched. Prefer the concrete word to the abstract. Prefer the single word to the circumlocution. Prefer the short word to the long. Prefer the Saxon word to the Romance. — Henry Watson Fowler

Any one who wishes to become a good writer should endeavour, before he allows himself to be tempted by the more showy qualities, to be direct, simple, brief, vigorous, and lucid. — Henry Watson Fowler

Those who run to long words are mainly the unskillful and tasteless; they confuse pomposity with dignity, flaccidity with ease, and bulk with force. — Henry Watson Fowler

Anyone who finds himself putting down several commas close to one another should reflect that he is making himself disagreeable. — Henry Watson Fowler

We tell our thoughts, like our children, to put on their hats and coats before they go out. — Henry Watson Fowler

Those who are addicted to the phrase "to use a vulgarism" expect to achieve the feat of being at once vulgar and superior to vulgarity. — Henry Watson Fowler

It need hardly be said that shortness is a merit in words. — Henry Watson Fowler

The obvious is better than obvious avoidance of it. — Henry Watson Fowler

The purpose of paragraphing is to give the reader a rest. The writer is saying . . . : Have you got that? If so, I'll go to the next point. — Henry Watson Fowler

The writer's Queen Victoria is his public, and he would do well to keep a bust of the old Queen on his desk with the legend "We are not amused" hanging from it. — Henry Watson Fowler

After all, it is an ancient and valuable right of the English people to turn their nouns into verbs when they are so minded. — Henry Watson Fowler

Life Lessons by Henry Watson Fowler

1. Henry Watson Fowler taught us the importance of accuracy and precision in language, emphasizing the need for clear and concise writing.
2. He also showed us that language is constantly evolving, and that we must be willing to adapt our writing to reflect this.
3. Finally, Fowler's work demonstrated the value of collaboration and teamwork in creating a comprehensive and reliable dictionary.