The learner grasps the conception, at least in a measure, and then associates his own word with it by a purely external tie, having been able, if so guided, to form the same association with any other existing or possible word, and not less easily and surely. An internal and necessary tie between word and idea is absolutely non-existent for him; and whatever historical reason there may be is also non-existent to his sense.
- Whitney (1875), a pag.18-19