1984 (1984)

James Walker: Syme

Quotes 

• Winston Smith : How's the Newspeak Committee?

  Syme : Working overtime. Plusbig waste is in adjectives. Plusbig waste is timing the language to scientific advance.

  Winston Smith : Yes...

  Syme : It's a beautiful thing, the destruction of words. You wouldn't have seen the Dictionary 10th edition, would you Smith? It's that thick.

  [illustrates thickness with fingers] 

  Syme : The 11th Edition will be that

  [narrows fingers] 

  Syme : thick.

  Winston Smith : So, the Revolution will be complete when the language is perfect?

  Syme : The secret is to move from translation, to direct thought, to automatic response. No need for self-discipline. Language coming from here

  [the larynx] 

  Syme : , not from here

  [the brain] 

  Syme : .

  Tillotson's Friend : [leans over from another table]  Excuse me for intruding. But what you're saying is that we should be rid of the last vestiges of Goldsteinism when the language has been cleaned. I couldn't be more in agreement with you, brother.

• Syme : Beautiful thing, the destruction of words.