At a certain point, what people mean when they use a word becomes its meaning.
William SafireRead
Dangling punch lines to forgotten stories remain in the language like the smile of the Cheshire cat.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote highlights how unfinished tales linger in language, much like a lingering smile suggests a hidden story.
William Safire's quote suggests that incomplete narratives or unresolved tales persist in language similarly to the iconic smile of the Cheshire cat from 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland'. This lingering presence points to the idea that language carries echoes of untold stories, inviting reflection on what remains unspoken and the deeper meanings hidden within communication.
Themes
LanguageStoriesCommunicationNarrativesMeaning
In practice
Example use cases
In a literary discussion about the importance of language in storytelling.
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Sometimes I know the meaning of a word but am tired of it and feel the need for an unfamiliar, especially precise or poetic term, perhaps one with a nuance that flatters my readership's exquisite sensitivity.
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