The word is merely a form, a definitely molded entity that takes in as much or as little of the conceptual material of the whole thought as the genius of the language cares to allow.
- Sapir (1921), a pag.32

In many [...] languages the single word is marked by a unifying accent, an emphasis on one of the syllables, to which the rest are subordinated. The particular syllable that is to be so distinguished is dependent, needless to say, on the special genius of the language.
- Sapir (1921), a pag.36

It depends entirely on the genius of the particular language what function is inherently involved in a given sequence of words.
- Sapir (1921), a pag.63

[...] concord is nearly always accompanied by sound repetition. [...] The application of the principle varies considerably according to the genius of the particular language.
- Sapir (1921), a pag.114

In certain features dialects drift apart rapidly. [...] these features betray themselves as less fundamental to the genius of the language than the more slowly modifiable features in which the dialects keep together long after they have grown to be mutually alien forms of speech.
- Sapir (1921), a pag.172