We are masters of the unsaid word…but slaves of those we let slip out. — Winston Churchill
That language is an instrument of human reason, and not merely a medium for the expression of thought, is a truth
generally admitted.
— George Boole, quoted in Iverson's Turing Award Lecture
Language is like a cracked kettle on which we beat our tunes to dance to, while all the time we long to move the
stars to pity.
— Flaubert
Do not put statements in the negative form.
And don't start sentences with a conjunction.
If you reread your work, you will find on rereading that a great deal of repetition can be avoided by rereading and
editing.
Never use a long word when a diminutive one will do.
Unqualified superlatives are the worst of all.
If any word is improper at the end of a sentence, a linking verb is.
Avoid trendy locutions that sound flaky.
Never, ever use repetitive redundancies.
Also, avoid awkward or affected alliteration.
Last, but not least, avoid cliche's like the plague.
— William Safire's rules for writing, quoted here
Short words are best and the old words when short are best of all.
— Winston Churchill
A man, a plan, a canoe, pasta, heros, rajahs, a coloratura, maps, snipe, percale, macaroni, a gag, a banana bag, a
tan, a tag, a banana bag again (or a camel), a crepe, pins, Spam, a rut, a Rolo, cash, a jar, sore hats, a peon, a
canal-- Panama!
— Guy Steele, CLTL2
What part of "turing complete" don't you understand?
— The Cube, quoted by Edward O'Connor