--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It was just that the literal meaning…" description: "\"“It was just that the literal meaning itself wasn´t immediately comprehensible. That doesn´t mean it didn´t mean.”\" — Ali Smith" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/970/ali-smith-1801_quote_it-was-just-that-the-literal-meaning-its_1885031.jpg" --- # It was just that the literal meaning itself wasn´t… ![“It was just that the literal meaning itself wasn´t immediately comprehensible. That doesn´t mean it didn´t mean.” quote by Ali Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/970/ali-smith-1801_quote_it-was-just-that-the-literal-meaning-its_1885031.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/970/ali-smith-1801_quote_it-was-just-that-the-literal-meaning-its_1885031.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/970/ali-smith-1801_quote_it-was-just-that-the-literal-meaning-its_1885031.jpg) > ““It was just that the literal meaning itself wasn´t immediately comprehensible. That doesn´t mean it didn´t mean.”” [Ali Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-smith/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Literal meaning may be unclear, yet the underlying significance remains, showing that comprehension can transcend surface language. **In simple terms:** Meaning can exist beyond literal words. Key Takeaway Look beyond surface meaning. Themes language interpretation meaning literature philosophy Mood thoughtful curious Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - reading - writing - critical analysis - teaching Key Concepts semantic depth interpretive flexibility Questions to Reflect On - How do you interpret ambiguous texts? - What layers of meaning can you uncover? A Different Perspective Literal focus can obscure deeper insights. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Comprehensible Doesn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comprehensible-doesn-2687795/) [Didn Mean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/didn-mean-312070/) [Doesn Mean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doesn-mean-242861/) [Just Literal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/just-literal-1867543/) [Literal Meaning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/literal-meaning-1817824/) ## Related quotes > [“What is truth?” I said. “Is it the shallow assurance that something literally took place, or is it about something far deeper, something that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-lister/what-is-truth-i-said-is-it-the-shallow-assurance-that-something/) [Michael Lister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-lister/) > [“The literal meaning of life is whatever you're doing that prevents you from killing yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/the-literal-meaning-of-life-is-whatever-you-re-doing-that-prevents/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [ “If one understands \[just\] the literal meaning, One becomes arrogant and one's mind deteriorates. 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"Then, what exactly did you mean to say?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dhonielle-clayton/i-didn-t-mean-to-offend-he-quickly-adds-then-what-exactly-did-you/) [Dhonielle Clayton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dhonielle-clayton/) ## More by Ali Smith > [As for Aliki - if you were to stand in the middle of Rome and say the name Sophia Loren, or Paris and say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-smith/as-for-aliki-if-you-were-to-stand-in-the-middle-of-rome-and-say-the/) [Ali Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-smith/) > [“Elisabeth had been listening to the programme in the bath. She'd switched the radio off after it and wondered if she'd be able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-smith/elisabeth-had-been-listening-to-the-programme-in-the-bath-she-d/) [Ali Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-smith/) > [There is a kind of poetry, bad and good, in evrything, everywhere we look.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-smith/there-is-a-kind-of-poetry-bad-and-good-in-evrything-everywhere-we-look/) [Ali Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-smith/) > [“human beings can’t be legends, being mortal,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-smith/human-beings-can-t-be-legends-being-mortal/) [Ali Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-smith/) > [“I could lick it off with my tongue, if I had a tongue again, if my tongue was wet, and I could taste it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-smith/i-could-lick-it-off-with-my-tongue-if-i-had-a-tongue-again-if-my/) [Ali Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-smith/) > [“How very disappointing truth is sometimes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-smith/how-very-disappointing-truth-is-sometimes/) [Ali Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-smith/) > [“...he had simply typed the words something beautiful into the Google images box. 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I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-smith/what-shop-did-this-book-come-from-she-asked-her-father-was-looking/) [Ali Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-smith/) > [What's the point of art, of any art, if it doesn't let us see with a little bit of objectivity where we are?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-smith/what-s-the-point-of-art-of-any-art-if-it-doesn-t-let-us-see-with-a/) [Ali Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-smith/) > [If you can read the world as a construct, you can ask questions of the construct, and you can suggest ways to change the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-smith/if-you-can-read-the-world-as-a-construct-you-can-ask-questions-of-the/) [Ali Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-smith/) > [“I’m tired of the news. I’m tired of the way it makes things spectacular that aren’t, and deals so simplistically with what’s truly appalling.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-smith/i-m-tired-of-the-news-i-m-tired-of-the-way-it-makes-things/) [Ali Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-smith/) > [“(this is before we're living together, before we do the most faithful act of all, mix our separate books into one library)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-smith/this-is-before-we-re-living-together-before-we-do-the-most-faithful/) [Ali Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-smith/) > [“Believe me. Everything is meant.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-smith/believe-me-everything-is-meant/) [Ali Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-smith/) > [ \[Property\] is a brilliant, chillingly revelatory piece of fiction, a work of craft, economy and such good merciless observation-one of those rare, crucial novels… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-smith/property-is-a-brilliant-chillingly-revelatory-piece-of-fiction-a-work/) [Ali Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-smith/) [Explore all 199 Ali Smith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-smith/) ## More Doesn Mean quotes > [“Just because it's complicated, just because you think you can't ever know everything about another person, it doesn't mean you can't try.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-semple/just-because-it-s-complicated-just-because-you-think-you-can-t-ever/) [Maria Semple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-semple/) > [I still loved you but It doesn't mean I still liked you. 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