S. I. Hayakawa

S. I. Hayakawa – Life, Career, and Memorable Quotes

Explore the life of S. I. Hayakawa (1906–1992)—an academic, semanticist, university president, and U.S. Senator. Learn about his linguistic philosophy, political career, key works, and enduring quotes.

Introduction

Samuel Ichiye Hayakawa, more popularly known as S. I. Hayakawa, was a prominent scholar, writer, and politician whose career bridged the worlds of language theory and public life. Born July 18, 1906 and passing away February 27, 1992, Hayakawa left a lasting mark as a semanticist, university leader, and U.S. Senator from California.

He is perhaps best known for his book Language in Thought and Action, and for his controversial but memorable moments in politics—such as intervening in campus protests as president of San Francisco State University and later serving in the U.S. Senate.

In this article, we’ll examine his life, ideas, public career, and the legacy of his thought on language, education, and governance.

Early Life and Family

Hayakawa was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, to Japanese immigrant parents.

His ethnic and bicultural background—being of Japanese descent yet raised in North America—shaped his sensitivity to language, identity, and the role of communication in bridging cultural divides.

Education and Academic Career

Hayakawa’s formal education included:

• University of Manitoba — Bachelor of Arts (BA) in English (graduated 1927)

• McGill University — Master of Arts (MA) in English (1928)

• University of Wisconsin – Madison — PhD in English, 1935, with a dissertation on Oliver Wendell Holmes

From there, he embarked on a long academic career, rising through faculty ranks and eventually focusing on semantics—the study of meaning in language and how language shapes thought and behavior.

He taught at institutions including the University of Chicago and later at San Francisco State College (later University), where he would become acting president and then formal president.

In 1968, during a major student protest and strike at San Francisco State, Hayakawa was placed in leadership, and his decisions during that tumultuous period helped define his public profile.

He formally served as president from November 26, 1968 to July 10, 1973.

Public & Political Career

The SF State Protests

One of Hayakawa’s most controversial episodes in public life came when he, as acting president, confronted the student strike movement at San Francisco State in late 1968. That boldness won him support among conservatives and made him a polarizing figure in academic and public discourse.

Over time, he negotiated compromises, including agreeing to establish a Black Studies department as part of meeting some protester demands.

U.S. Senate (California)

In 1976, Hayakawa ran for the U.S. Senate as a Republican and won a surprising victory over incumbent Democrat John V. Tunney. January 2, 1977 to January 3, 1983.

During his time in office:

• He proposed or supported conservative positions, including smaller government, firm law and order stances, and limits on welfare expansions.

• He supported the creation of the Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians, which examined the internment of Japanese Americans during WWII.

• He became a cofounder of U.S. English, a lobbying group advocating for English to be the official language of the U.S.

• His political style and rhetoric often drew both acclaim and criticism for being blunt, ideologically driven, and sometimes provocative.

He initially sought reelection in 1982, but withdrew from the race because of funding difficulties and weak polling. He was succeeded by Pete Wilson.

Intellectual Contributions & Philosophy

Hayakawa is best known as a semanticist and thinker on language and meaning. His work sought to highlight how language both enables and constrains human thought, and how awareness of linguistic pitfalls can reduce misunderstanding and conflict.

Language in Thought and Action

His signature work, Language in Thought and Action (first published in 1949 under the earlier title Language in Action) became a widely read text in communication, linguistics, philosophy, and education.

In that book and related essays, Hayakawa argued:

• Language is not a passive medium but an active shaper of reality: the words we choose influence how we perceive, categorize, and respond to the world.

• Many conflicts arise from misunderstandings or ambiguity in language. Being precise, alert to abstraction, and reflective about meaning can reduce unnecessary confusion.

• He urged people to recognize the “semantic barrier” — the gap between what we think and how we express it, and how general semantics can help us think more clearly.

In academic circles, Hayakawa’s work is sometimes linked to the General Semantics movement, influenced by Alfred Korzybski.

He also authored books such as Symbol, Status, and Personality (1963), Choose the Right Word, Through the Communication Barrier, The Use and Misuse of Language, and other collections of essays on language, society, and meaning.

Hayakawa emphasized that literacy, reading, and language education are foundational to a functioning democracy—that citizens must share a common language (in his context, English) as part of civic discourse.

Legacy and Influence

S. I. Hayakawa’s legacy is complex and multifaceted:

• Public intellectual: He bridged scholarship and public life, bringing linguistic ideas into civic debates.

• Educational reform & leadership: His presidency at SF State and his handling of protest movements remain case studies in campus governance, free speech, and institutional authority.

• Democratic participation & language policy: Through U.S. English and advocacy of a unifying national language, his positions continue to influence debates over bilingualism, immigration, and civic integration.

• Senatorial precedent: As one of a small number of Asian Americans to serve in the U.S. Senate, he is part of broader representation history.

• Continuing readership: Language in Thought and Action remains in print and is still used in courses on communication, writing, semantics, and philosophy.

However, his public stances—especially regarding immigration, language policy, and campus protest suppression—also attract criticism. Some view his approach as too rigid, exclusionary, or overly ideological.

Personality and Talents

Hayakawa was known for being intellectually rigorous, blunt in expression, and charismatic in communication. He combined scholarly seriousness with political ambition.

His talents included:

• Clarity of thought and prose: He had the ability to distill complex ideas about language and meaning into accessible prose for educated lay audiences.

• Boldness in action: His decision to physically intervene in protest dynamics at SF State illustrated a willingness to act in controversial ways, not just theorize.

• Oratorical skill: He used rhetoric and metaphor effectively in public discourse, often invoking vivid images or provocative statements.

• Interdisciplinary bridging: He connected linguistics, philosophy, education, media, and politics in his work.

He was also known to have interests beyond linguistics and politics—including writing about traditional jazz, contributing liner notes to recordings, and engaging in cultural commentary.

Famous Quotes of S. I. Hayakawa

Here are several memorable and representative quotations from Hayakawa, drawn from Language in Thought and Action and other works:

“The cultural accomplishment of the ages … come to us as free gifts from the dead. These gifts … offer us … the opportunity to add to the sum total of human achievement by our own contributions.”

“It is not true that ‘we have only one life to live’; if we can read, we can live as many more lives and as many kinds of lives as we wish.”

“In a real sense, people who have read good literature have lived more than people who cannot or will not read.”

“You guys are both saying the same thing. The only reason you’re arguing is because you’re using different words.”

“Notice the difference between what happens when a man says to himself, I have failed three times, and what happens when he says, I am a failure.”

“If you see in any given situation only what everybody else can see, you can be said to be so much a representative of your culture that you are a victim of it.”

“The language we share is at the core of our identity as citizens, and our ticket to full participation in American political life.”

“In the age of television, image becomes more important than substance.”

These quotes reflect his preoccupation with language, identity, political discourse, and the power of reading and expression.

Lessons from S. I. Hayakawa

From his life and work, we can draw several lessons:

1. Language is not neutral. Words carry weight. As Hayakawa emphasized, how we name, frame, and classify reality shapes perception, decision, and conflict.

2. Read broadly to expand identity. His quote about multiple lives through reading suggests that literature can broaden horizons, empathy, and self-conception.

3. Leadership involves tension. Hayakawa’s path shows that exercising authority—especially in contested spaces like universities—will be fraught, ambiguous, and open to critique.

4. Bridging scholarship and action has costs and rewards. He was not content to remain in the ivory tower; he moved into public arenas, even at the risk of oversimplification or controversy.

5. Civic cohesion requires shared communication norms. His advocacy for a common public language (in his context, English) underscores his belief that a society must have shared communicative tools to function democratically. Whether one agrees or not, it challenges us to think about inclusion, multiculturalism, and communication.

Conclusion

S. I. Hayakawa was a distinctive figure at the intersection of language theory and public life. He sought to cultivate clearer thought, more vigilant communication, and ethical discourse—while also engaging directly in university governance and national politics.

His intellectual legacy continues in courses on semantics, communication, and rhetoric. His political and educational decisions remain debated in histories of student activism, language policy, and the role of public intellectuals.