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And that brings us to tonight's word: Truthiness. Now I'm…

“And that brings us to tonight's word: Truthiness. Now I'm sure some of the word-police, the 'wordanistas' over at Websters, are gonna say, 'Hey, that's not a word!' Well, anybody who knows me knows that I am no fan of dictionaries or reference books. They're elitist. Constantly telling us what is…” quote by Stephen Colbert
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“And that brings us to tonight's word: Truthiness. Now I'm sure some of the word-police, the 'wordanistas' over at Websters, are gonna say, 'Hey, that's not a word!' Well, anybody who knows me knows that I am no fan of dictionaries or reference books. They're elitist. Constantly telling us what is or isn't true, what did or didn't happen.”

Stephen Colbert

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 mocks dictionary authority, claiming truth is subjective and language evolves beyond formal rules.

In simple terms: Language is fluid and not limited by dictionaries.

Key Takeaway

Question rigid definitions; embrace evolving meaning.

Themes

language truth authority humor

Mood

irry skeptical

Type

satirical commentary

When to use this quote

  • media commentary
  • political satire
  • public discourse

Key Concepts

relativism semantic flexibility

Questions to Reflect On

  • How does language shape our perception of truth?
  • When is it useful to rely on formal definitions?
A Different Perspective

Dictionaries still guide communication and legal standards.

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