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At a certain point, what people mean when they use a word becomes its meaning.
William Safire
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Interpretation

What this quote means

Words gain meaning through societal usage rather than their original definitions.

This quote by William Safire emphasizes the concept that language and meaning are dynamic. Over time, the way a community uses a word can redefine its significance, highlighting the evolving nature of communication and the influence of collective understanding on the words we choose to express our thoughts.

Themes

LanguageMeaningWordsCommunicationSociety

In practice

Example use cases

In a discussion on semantics, one might reference this quote to illustrate the fluidity of language.

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