--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Words have meaning. And their meaning…" description: "\"Words have meaning. And their meaning doesn't change\" — Antonin Scalia" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/300/antonin-scalia-2855_change_words-have-meaning-and-their-meaning-doe_2757232.png" --- # Words have meaning. And their meaning doesn't change ![“Words have meaning. And their meaning doesn't change” quote by Antonin Scalia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/300/antonin-scalia-2855_change_words-have-meaning-and-their-meaning-doe_2757232.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/300/antonin-scalia-2855_change_words-have-meaning-and-their-meaning-doe_2757232.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/300/antonin-scalia-2855_change_words-have-meaning-and-their-meaning-doe_2757232.png) > “Words have meaning. And their meaning doesn't change” [Antonin Scalia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonin-scalia/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Words carry fixed meanings that should not shift with context. **In simple terms:** Words mean what they say, unchanged. Key Takeaway Interpret language consistently. Themes law linguistics interpretation Mood analytical formal Type legal philosophical When to use this quote - court rulings - contract drafting - legislative drafting Key Concepts semantic stability legal precision Questions to Reflect On - Should meaning adapt to societal change? - How to balance original intent with modern usage? A Different Perspective Language evolves, affecting meaning over time. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Purpose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose/) [Words](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/words/) ## Related quotes > [Just because something might not have a deep philosophical meaning doesn't mean it's not important or relevant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grimes/just-because-something-might-not-have-a-deep-philosophical-meaning/) [Grimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grimes/) > [“The fact that you don’t grasp the meaning of something doesn’t mean it has none.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-ryan-hyde/the-fact-that-you-don-t-grasp-the-meaning-of-something-doesn-t-mean/) [Catherine Ryan Hyde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-ryan-hyde/) > [“She has always counted it a plus that he doesn’t lie to her, meaning that he doesn’t embroider his accounts of himself with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-s-a-harrison/she-has-always-counted-it-a-plus-that-he-doesn-t-lie-to-her-meaning/) [A.S.A. Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-s-a-harrison/) > [I find it difficult to believe that words have no meaning in themselves, hard as I try. Habits of a lifetime are not lightly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-chase/i-find-it-difficult-to-believe-that-words-have-no-meaning-in/) [Stuart Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stuart-chase/) > [During the '70s I was interested in words and meaning as a way of making art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sol-lewitt/during-the-70s-i-was-interested-in-words-and-meaning-as-a-way-of/) [Sol LeWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sol-lewitt/) > [And the good writer chooses his words for their 'meaning', but that meaning is not a a set, cut-off thing like the move of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-pound/and-the-good-writer-chooses-his-words-for-their-meaning-but-that/) [Ezra Pound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-pound/) > [Your words and my words are the same, but not our meaning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/your-words-and-my-words-are-the-same-but-not-our-meaning/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [“Always" and "never" are not words that have much meaning in literary study. For one thing, as soon as something seems to always be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-c-foster/always-and-never-are-not-words-that-have-much-meaning-in-literary/) [Thomas C. Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-c-foster/) > [Never generally means "at no point in time." The term comes from the words 'no' and 'ever', meaning that something is not ever going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-burns/never-generally-means-at-no-point-in-time-the-term-comes-from-the/) [Robert Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-burns/) > [Is there a meaning to music? Yes. Can you state in so many words what the meaning is? No.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-copland/is-there-a-meaning-to-music-yes-can-you-state-in-so-many-words-what/) [Aaron Copland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-copland/) > [And people get all fouled up because they want the world to have meaning as if it were words... As if you had a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/and-people-get-all-fouled-up-because-they-want-the-world-to-have/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [8 letters 3 words 1 meaning I love you!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/8-letters-3-words-1-meaning-i-love-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Get rid of words and meaning, and there is still poetry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yang-wanli/get-rid-of-words-and-meaning-and-there-is-still-poetry/) Yang Wanli > [Through words to the meaning of thoughts with no words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dejan-stojanovic/through-words-to-the-meaning-of-thoughts-with-no-words/) [Dejan Stojanovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dejan-stojanovic/) > [“Words have meaning beyond the obvious. Words have consequences beyond intentions. Civil words align risk and reward of such unknowns.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-r-dallas-jr/words-have-meaning-beyond-the-obvious-words-have-consequences-beyond/) [John R. Dallas Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-r-dallas-jr/) ## More by Antonin Scalia > [What is a moderate interpretation of the text? Halfway between what it really means and what you'd like it to mean?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonin-scalia/what-is-a-moderate-interpretation-of-the-text-halfway-between-what-it/) [Antonin Scalia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonin-scalia/) > [If you think aficionados of a living Constitution want to bring you flexibility, think again. You think the death penalty is a good idea?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonin-scalia/if-you-think-aficionados-of-a-living-constitution-want-to-bring-you/) [Antonin Scalia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonin-scalia/) > [More importantly, the Court forgets that ours is a government of laws and not of men. That means we are governed by the terms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonin-scalia/more-importantly-the-court-forgets-that-ours-is-a-government-of-laws/) [Antonin Scalia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonin-scalia/) > [Wringing your hands about states' rights, forget it. They're gone. Basically, the federal government can do whatever it wants. Who's going to protect the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonin-scalia/wringing-your-hands-about-states-rights-forget-it-they-re-gone/) [Antonin Scalia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonin-scalia/) > [If you condemn someone who has committed a crime to be tortured, that would be unconstitutional.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonin-scalia/if-you-condemn-someone-who-has-committed-a-crime-to-be-tortured-that/) [Antonin Scalia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonin-scalia/) > [Burning the flag is a form of expression. Speech doesn't just mean written words or oral words. It could be semaphore. And burning a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonin-scalia/burning-the-flag-is-a-form-of-expression-speech-doesn-t-just-mean/) [Antonin Scalia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonin-scalia/) > [Being a good person begins with being a wise person. Then, when you follow your conscience, will you be headed in the right direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonin-scalia/being-a-good-person-begins-with-being-a-wise-person-then-when-you/) [Antonin Scalia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonin-scalia/) > [The court's job is to uphold the Constitution and you don't call that off in times of crisis. Would the framers have allowed this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonin-scalia/the-court-s-job-is-to-uphold-the-constitution-and-you-don-t-call-that/) [Antonin Scalia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonin-scalia/) > [We have laws against torture. The Constitution says nothing whatever about torture. It speaks of punishment; 'cruel and unusual' punishments are forbidden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonin-scalia/we-have-laws-against-torture-the-constitution-says-nothing-whatever/) [Antonin Scalia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonin-scalia/) > [If I have brought any message today, it is this: Have the courage to have your wisdom regarded as stupidity. Be fools for Christ.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonin-scalia/if-i-have-brought-any-message-today-it-is-this-have-the-courage-to/) [Antonin Scalia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonin-scalia/) > [Many think it not only inevitable but entirely proper that liberty give way to security in times of national crisis--that, at the extremes of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonin-scalia/many-think-it-not-only-inevitable-but-entirely-proper-that-liberty/) [Antonin Scalia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonin-scalia/) > [That's the argument of flexibility and it goes something like this: The Constitution is over 200 years old and societies change. It has to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonin-scalia/that-s-the-argument-of-flexibility-and-it-goes-something-like-this/) [Antonin Scalia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonin-scalia/) > [Why in the world would you have it interpreted by nine lawyers?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonin-scalia/why-in-the-world-would-you-have-it-interpreted-by-nine-lawyers/) [Antonin Scalia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonin-scalia/) > [ Who ever thought that intimacy and spirituality \[whatever that means\] were freedoms? And if intimacy is, one would think Freedom of Intimacy is abridged… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonin-scalia/who-ever-thought-that-intimacy-and-spirituality-whatever-that-means/) [Antonin Scalia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonin-scalia/) > [I'm nervous about our civic culture. I'm not sure the Internet is largely the cause of it. It's certainly the cause of careless writing.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonin-scalia/i-m-nervous-about-our-civic-culture-i-m-not-sure-the-internet-is/) [Antonin Scalia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonin-scalia/) [Explore all 146 Antonin Scalia quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonin-scalia/) ## More Change quotes > [Only within yourself exists the other reality for which you long. I can give you nothing that has not already its being within yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/only-within-yourself-exists-the-other-reality-for-which-you-long-i/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [“…progress isn't necessarily about change but about things turning out as we want them to”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-hogan/progress-isn-t-necessarily-about-change-but-about-things-turning-out/) Phil Hogan > [Nobody can tell me that no changes are necessary in Washington.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-weld/nobody-can-tell-me-that-no-changes-are-necessary-in-washington/) [William Weld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-weld/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [When you walk down the street of Kabul your values for life changes, they do change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-pierre-white/when-you-walk-down-the-street-of-kabul-your-values-for-life-changes/) [Marco Pierre White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-pierre-white/) > [Your world will change whether or not you choose to change, but you have the power to choose it's direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/your-world-will-change-whether-or-not-you-choose-to-change-but-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [I hope I continue to evolve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-flair/i-hope-i-continue-to-evolve/) [Charlotte Flair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-flair/) > [“Stay focused on bringing people together and more on positive messaging so that you can be the change you wish to see in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/stay-focused-on-bringing-people-together-and-more-on-positive/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [“After the funeral, my life changed. I felt as if time were suddenly precious, water going down an open drain, and I could not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/after-the-funeral-my-life-changed-i-felt-as-if-time-were-suddenly/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [You practice mindfulness, on the one hand, to be calm and peaceful. On the other hand, as you practice mindfulness and live a life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-practice-mindfulness-on-the-one-hand-to-be-calm-and-peaceful-on/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Irish research will contribute to global progress and have the potential to help all countries realise the potential of their land sectors in addressing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enda-kenny/irish-research-will-contribute-to-global-progress-and-have-the/) [Enda Kenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enda-kenny/) > [No man can change himself into anything from sheer reason; he can only change into what he potentially is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/no-man-can-change-himself-into-anything-from-sheer-reason-he-can-only/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) [Browse all 33,920 Change quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Words have meaning. And their meaning doesn't change", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Antonin Scalia" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonin-scalia/words-have-meaning-and-their-meaning-doesn-t-change/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Change" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonin-scalia/words-have-meaning-and-their-meaning-doesn-t-change/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/300/antonin-scalia-2855_change_words-have-meaning-and-their-meaning-doe_2757232.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/300/antonin-scalia-2855_change_words-have-meaning-and-their-meaning-doe_2757232.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/300/antonin-scalia-2855_change_words-have-meaning-and-their-meaning-doe_2757232.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Words have meaning. And their meaning doesn't change” — Antonin Scalia", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Antonin Scalia", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonin-scalia/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Words have meaning. And their meaning...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonin-scalia/words-have-meaning-and-their-meaning-doesn-t-change/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonin-scalia/words-have-meaning-and-their-meaning-doesn-t-change/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```