When we started on 'Power,' I was committed to respecting the differences among Spanish dialects: Dominican, Nuyorican, Mexican, etc. I wanted the language our characters spoke to be as specific as possible, to reflect New York as it is.
In 'Expendables 2,' there was a lot of vulgar dialogue in the screenplay. For this reason, many young people wouldn't be able to watch this. But I don't play in movies like this. Due to that, I said, 'I won't be a part of that if the hardcore language is not erased.'
Funny how words in one language get used in another language. For example, 'scotch' in Russian is tape and 'pampers' means diapers.
The Little Friend is a long book. It's also completely different from my first novel: different landscape, different characters, different use of language and diction, different approach to story.
The best part is, I can speak Hindi fluently. Earlier, I would cringe at the idea of delivering even a one-line dialogue in the language, but now, I can mouth a five-page monologue without blinking. My diction has improved, which has enhanced my performance.
People are under the impression that dictionaries legislate language. What a dictionary does is keep track of usages over time.
The character of our language defines us, and dictionaries say as much about us as about the way we speak.
Greek was very much a live language, and a language still unconscious of grammar, not, like ours, dominated by definitions and trained upon dictionaries.
We die. That may be the meaning of life. But we do language. That may be the measure of our lives.
It doesn't matter if you're black, white, gay, straight, come from different countries, different language... every single person is significant and is meaningful.
Language, identity, place, home: these are all of a piece - just different elements of belonging and not-belonging.
A different language is a different vision of life.
While I admire the insights of many of the people in the world of computing, I get this cold feeling that I speak a different language.
When we look at the specific effect of the Internet on language, languages asking the question, 'Has English become a different language as a result of the Internet?' the answer has to be no.
I hate when I see someone who speaks English speaking to someone who speaks a different language, and they're screaming as if going louder is going to help the other person understand.
In Italy, you're in your comfort zone when it comes to language, lifestyle, your habits and preparations, and moving abroad is not easy. It's not easy to carry over your own ideas about football, your own methods. You have to get everything across in a different language, and that wastes a lot of energy.
When you work in a different language you are not so attached to the words.
After having a career in Spain for eight years, I went back to being anonymous again, having to prove myself to the industry and myself, to prove I was capable of acting in a different language. It was a good challenge, and I can't complain.
I love all Daphne du Maurier's stuff. And just enjoying period dramas, really... wanting to do something drastically different from 'Nighty Night', the chance to write very different language.
Before 'The Last Samurai,' I couldn't believe I could do that. I didn't think I would be able to explain myself and my feelings in English, in a different language. But I could.
