Heart failure Quote by Bill Bryson
““People don't talk like this, theytalklikethis. Syllables, words, sentences run together like a watercolor left in the rain. To understand what anyone is saying to us we must separate these noises into words and the words into sentences so that we might in our turn issue a stream of mixed sounds in response. If what we say is suitably apt and amusing, the listener will show his delight by emitting a series of uncontrolled high-pitched noises, accompanied by sharp intakes of breath of the sort normally associated with a seizure or heart failure. And by these means we converse. Talking, when you think about it, is a very strange business indeed.””
About This Quote
Source Book: The Mother Tongue, Bill Bryson, 1990
Language is a complex system that must be broken into units to be understood and to respond appropriately, revealing its oddities and humor.
In simple terms: We need to parse speech into words and sentences to communicate.
Key Takeaway
Parse speech to communicate clearly.
Themes
communication
language
humor
complexity
Mood
curious
amused
reflective
Type
observational
humorous
analytical
When to use this quote
- learning a new language
- teaching reading
- speech therapy
- public speaking
Key Concepts
linguistics
syntax
semantics
pragmatics
Questions to Reflect On
- How does parsing affect comprehension?
- What makes spoken language feel strange?
A Different Perspective
Misinterpretation can still occur despite careful parsing.
![“ME/CFS has a greater negative impact on functional status and well-being than other chronic diseases, e.g., cancer or lung diseases[8], and is associated with a drastic decrement in physical functioning[9]. In a comparison study[10] ME/CFS patients scored significantly lower than patients with…” quote by Frank Twisk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d4e/frank-twisk-66444_cfs_me-cfs-has-a-greater-negative-impact-on_448653.jpg)
