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That doesn't make any sense. Sorry. There's no known way…

“That doesn't make any sense. Sorry. There's no known way of saying an English sentence in which you begin a sentence with "in" and emphasize it. Get me a jury and show me how you can say "In July" and I'll go down on you. That's just idiotic, if you'll forgive me for saying so. It's just stupid…” quote by Orson Welles
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“That doesn't make any sense. Sorry. There's no known way of saying an English sentence in which you begin a sentence with "in" and emphasize it. Get me a jury and show me how you can say "In July" and I'll go down on you. That's just idiotic, if you'll forgive me for saying so. It's just stupid... "In July"; I'd love to know how you emphasize "In" in "In July". Impossible! Meaningless!”

Orson Welles

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The speaker argues that emphasizing the first word "In" in a sentence like "In July" is impossible and nonsensical.

In simple terms: Emphasizing a sentence‑initial preposition is seen as absurd.

Key Takeaway

Question linguistic emphasis rules.

Themes

language syntax communication

Mood

skeptical analytical

Type

linguistic philosophical

When to use this quote

  • public speaking
  • language teaching
  • debate forums

Key Concepts

linguistics pragmatics

Questions to Reflect On

  • Can emphasis be achieved through tone or pause?
  • What alternatives convey the same focus?
A Different Perspective

Language rules can be flexible and context‑dependent.

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