Who said “The afflicted are not listened to. They are like someone whose tongue has been cut out…”?

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Simone Weil. A published source records them saying or writing it.

SourceHuman Personality (1943)

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“The afflicted are not listened to. They are like someone whose tongue has been cut out and who occasionally forgets the fact. When they move their lips no ear perceives any sound. And they themselves soon sink into impotence in the use of language, because of the certainty of not being heard.”
— Simone Weil
VerifiedHuman Personality (1943) · evidenceSuffering
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Cite this quote

For academic work, cite the original where you can: Human Personality (1943).

APA

Weil, S. (n.d.). The afflicted are not listened to. They are like someone whose tongue has been cut out and who occasionally forgets the fact. When they move their lips no ear perceives any sound. And they themselves soon sink into impotence in the use of language, because of the certainty of not being heard. [Quotation]. Famous Quotations Network. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/39015-the-afflicted-are-not-listened-to-they-are/

MLA

Weil, Simone. “The afflicted are not listened to. They are like someone whose tongue has been cut out and who occasionally forgets the fact. When they move their lips no ear perceives any sound. And they themselves soon sink into impotence in the use of language, because of the certainty of not being heard.” Famous Quotations Network, https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/39015-the-afflicted-are-not-listened-to-they-are/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Chicago

Weil, Simone. “The afflicted are not listened to. They are like someone whose tongue has been cut out and who occasionally forgets the fact. When they move their lips no ear perceives any sound. And they themselves soon sink into impotence in the use of language, because of the certainty of not being heard.” Famous Quotations Network. Accessed October 24, 2026. https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/39015-the-afflicted-are-not-listened-to-they-are/.

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