--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I am quite unsatisfied by the…" description: "\"I am quite unsatisfied by the distinctions between the oral and literate.\" — David Antin" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f2/david-antin-16464_distinction_i-am-quite-unsatisfied-by-the-distinctio_1747052.png" --- # I am quite unsatisfied by the distinctions between the… ![“I am quite unsatisfied by the distinctions between the oral and literate.” quote by David Antin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f2/david-antin-16464_distinction_i-am-quite-unsatisfied-by-the-distinctio_1747052.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f2/david-antin-16464_distinction_i-am-quite-unsatisfied-by-the-distinctio_1747052.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f2/david-antin-16464_distinction_i-am-quite-unsatisfied-by-the-distinctio_1747052.png) > “I am quite unsatisfied by the distinctions between the oral and literate.” [David Antin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-antin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Questions the clear split between spoken and written language. **In simple terms:** Challenges oral vs. written divide. Key Takeaway Embrace fluid communication forms. Themes language communication literacy Mood analytical curious Type academic exploratory When to use this quote - education reform - multimedia storytelling - public speaking - publishing Key Concepts semiotics cultural studies media theory Questions to Reflect On - How do oral traditions influence modern media? - What benefits arise from blending forms? A Different Perspective May overlook practical differences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Distinction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/distinction/) [Distinctions Oral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/distinctions-oral-1570817/) [Literate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/literate/) [Oral Literate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oral-literate-1570816/) [Quite Unsatisfied](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quite-unsatisfied-1570818/) [Unsatisfied](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unsatisfied/) [Unsatisfied Distinctions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unsatisfied-distinctions-1570815/) ## Related quotes > [It's the same with this idea of a literate public, and also of a democracy in which people have access to and really read…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-hass/it-s-the-same-with-this-idea-of-a-literate-public-and-also-of-a/) [Robert Hass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-hass/) > [In every literate society, learning to read is something of an initiation, a ritualized passage out of a state of dependency and rudimentary communication.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alberto-manguel/in-every-literate-society-learning-to-read-is-something-of-an/) [Alberto Manguel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alberto-manguel/) > [Intelligence tests are biased toward the literate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/intelligence-tests-are-biased-toward-the-literate/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [The difference between our family and other poor families was that my mother actively chose to be poor. She was highly literate, and she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/said-sayrafiezadeh/the-difference-between-our-family-and-other-poor-families-was-that-my/) [Said Sayrafiezadeh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/said-sayrafiezadeh/) > [From my foster parents, the Deans, I received the love that was ultimately to strengthen me, even when I had forgotten its source. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-dean-myers/from-my-foster-parents-the-deans-i-received-the-love-that-was/) [Walter Dean Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-dean-myers/) > [“Let's leave it for tonight. Is it a decent hour for two middle-aged people to go to bed?' He held out his hand for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-wilhelm/let-s-leave-it-for-tonight-is-it-a-decent-hour-for-two-middle-aged/) [Kate Wilhelm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-wilhelm/) > [We have to move into the 21st century, but we should do so with great care to build a 'bi-literate' brain that has the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maryanne-wolf/we-have-to-move-into-the-21st-century-but-we-should-do-so-with-great/) [Maryanne Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maryanne-wolf/) > [Is it possible that Jesus, unlike 98 percent of his fellow Jews, was literate and educated? Yes, it's possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reza-aslan/is-it-possible-that-jesus-unlike-98-percent-of-his-fellow-jews-was/) [Reza Aslan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reza-aslan/) > [As parents we're not nearly as computer literate as our children are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-mcgraw/as-parents-we-re-not-nearly-as-computer-literate-as-our-children-are/) [Phil McGraw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-mcgraw/) > [Part of what it is to be scientifically-literate is how you think about information that's presented in front of you. I think that's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/part-of-what-it-is-to-be-scientifically-literate-is-how-you-think/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [If all our children learn to do is read, they will not be literate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-warlick/if-all-our-children-learn-to-do-is-read-they-will-not-be-literate/) [David Warlick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-warlick/) > [Likewise, there is no evidence that texting teaches people to spell badly: rather, research shows that those kids who text frequently are more likely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-crystal/likewise-there-is-no-evidence-that-texting-teaches-people-to-spell/) [David Crystal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-crystal/) > [Whatever the reasons may be, I was very much affected by events of the 1930s - the Spanish Civil War, for example, though I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/whatever-the-reasons-may-be-i-was-very-much-affected-by-events-of-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [I am not at all computer literate in real life. I haven't yet found a reason to be. Once I find a reason why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-travolta/i-am-not-at-all-computer-literate-in-real-life-i-haven-t-yet-found-a/) [John Travolta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-travolta/) > [The big problem with literature is people tend to take the dialogue from the book, forgetting that everything that surrounds it is literate, therefore…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hurt/the-big-problem-with-literature-is-people-tend-to-take-the-dialogue/) [John Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hurt/) ## More by David Antin > [A myth is the name of a terrible lie told by a smelly little brown person to a man in a white suit with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-antin/a-myth-is-the-name-of-a-terrible-lie-told-by-a-smelly-little-brown/) [David Antin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-antin/) > [The ancient Greek oral poets all had this anxiety about the deficiencies of their memories and always began poems by praying to the Muse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-antin/the-ancient-greek-oral-poets-all-had-this-anxiety-about-the/) [David Antin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-antin/) > [My way of thinking is very particular and concrete. It doesn't follow a continuous path.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-antin/my-way-of-thinking-is-very-particular-and-concrete-it-doesn-t-follow/) [David Antin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-antin/) > [While I don't script and I don't use other performers, I think my taste for underlying precision gives me something in common with Allan…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-antin/while-i-don-t-script-and-i-don-t-use-other-performers-i-think-my/) [David Antin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-antin/) > [While I've had a great distaste for what's usually called song in modern poetry or for what's usually called music, I really don't think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-antin/while-i-ve-had-a-great-distaste-for-what-s-usually-called-song-in/) [David Antin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-antin/) > [There is probably no oral society that fails to mark the spatial distinction of left and right, peculiar as this distinction may be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-antin/there-is-probably-no-oral-society-that-fails-to-mark-the-spatial/) [David Antin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-antin/) > [I hardly remember how I started to write poetry. It's hard to imagine what I thought poetry could do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-antin/i-hardly-remember-how-i-started-to-write-poetry-it-s-hard-to-imagine/) [David Antin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-antin/) > [I can manage a prose format as long as I keep closer to Laurence Sterne than to Henry James.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-antin/i-can-manage-a-prose-format-as-long-as-i-keep-closer-to-laurence/) [David Antin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-antin/) > [Disney made a fortune out of inventing the businessman's idea of the imaginary as the contradictory of the businessman's idea of the real.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-antin/disney-made-a-fortune-out-of-inventing-the-businessman-s-idea-of-the/) [David Antin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-antin/) > [There are editing procedures for talks just as there are editing procedures in jazz improvisation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-antin/there-are-editing-procedures-for-talks-just-as-there-are-editing/) [David Antin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-antin/) > [For several centuries what has passed for song in literary circles was any text that looked like the lyrics for a commonplace melodic setting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-antin/for-several-centuries-what-has-passed-for-song-in-literary-circles/) [David Antin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-antin/) > [Stories are different every time you tell them - they allow so many possible narratives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-antin/stories-are-different-every-time-you-tell-them-they-allow-so-many/) [David Antin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-antin/) > [When you grow up in a family of languages, you develop a kind of casual fluency, so that languages, though differently colored, all seem…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-antin/when-you-grow-up-in-a-family-of-languages-you-develop-a-kind-of/) [David Antin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-antin/) > [I'm not sure what theory is, unless it's the pursuit of fundamental questions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-antin/i-m-not-sure-what-theory-is-unless-it-s-the-pursuit-of-fundamental/) [David Antin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-antin/) > [My mother turned into a professional widow. She couldnt understand why I wanted to be an engineer; she thought I should be a chicken…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-antin/my-mother-turned-into-a-professional-widow-she-couldnt-understand-why/) [David Antin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-antin/) [Explore all 39 David Antin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-antin/) ## More Distinction quotes > [I do think that theater is a great venue for science fiction, and not just adaptations but also original work. I also think some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-einhorn/i-do-think-that-theater-is-a-great-venue-for-science-fiction-and-not/) [Edward Einhorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-einhorn/) > [The fact -- not theory -- that evolution has occurred and the Darwinian theory as to how it occurred have become so confused in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-gaylord-simpson/the-fact-not-theory-that-evolution-has-occurred-and-the-darwinian/) [George Gaylord Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-gaylord-simpson/) > [Each man is capable of doing one thing well. If he attempts several, he will fail to achieve distinction in any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/each-man-is-capable-of-doing-one-thing-well-if-he-attempts-several-he/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [If I have a system it is limited to a recognition of what Kierkegaard called 'the infinite qualitative distinction' between time and eternity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-barth/if-i-have-a-system-it-is-limited-to-a-recognition-of-what-kierkegaard/) [Karl Barth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-barth/) > [“In your goals to go the extra mile, prepare to pay an extra cost. Excellence is to be exceptional, surpassing, more competent and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/in-your-goals-to-go-the-extra-mile-prepare-to-pay-an-extra-cost/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [I make no distinction between writing and storytelling; I've always wanted to tell stories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damon-lindelof/i-make-no-distinction-between-writing-and-storytelling-i-ve-always/) [Damon Lindelof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damon-lindelof/) > [Where did you find that one?" "I have no idea. I'm a magnet for crazies, I guess." "They must be able to sense a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiersten-white/where-did-you-find-that-one-i-have-no-idea-i-m-a-magnet-for-crazies-i/) [Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/) > [No people is wholly civilized where a distinction is drawn between stealing an office and stealing a purse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/no-people-is-wholly-civilized-where-a-distinction-is-drawn-between/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [I realized early on that the academy and the literary world alike - and I don't think there really is a distinction between the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-bloom/i-realized-early-on-that-the-academy-and-the-literary-world-alike-and/) [Harold Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-bloom/) > [Alfred Nobel stipulated that no distinction of race or colour will determine who received of his generosity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abdus-salam/alfred-nobel-stipulated-that-no-distinction-of-race-or-colour-will/) [Abdus Salam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abdus-salam/) > [I think it is important for all those young out there - who someday hope to play real football, where you throw it and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kemp/i-think-it-is-important-for-all-those-young-out-there-who-someday/) [Jack Kemp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kemp/) > [I've always longed for the theatre and acting to be popular. No actor wants to play to an empty house. We only do it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/i-ve-always-longed-for-the-theatre-and-acting-to-be-popular-no-actor/) [Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/) > [There is no moral distinction between petty thievery and 'from each according to ability, to each according to need.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-read/there-is-no-moral-distinction-between-petty-thievery-and-from-each/) [Leonard Read](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-read/) > [People always make this totally artificial distinction between what is commercial and what is good. They quote that maxim "Nobody ever lost money underestimating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/people-always-make-this-totally-artificial-distinction-between-what/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [People should make distinctions between the office of the presidency and the person who occupies it. You can respect the office even as you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-greenberg/people-should-make-distinctions-between-the-office-of-the-presidency/) [David Greenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-greenberg/) [Browse all 1,181 Distinction quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/distinction/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I am quite unsatisfied by the distinctions between the oral and literate.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Antin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-antin/i-am-quite-unsatisfied-by-the-distinctions-between-the-oral-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Distinction" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-antin/i-am-quite-unsatisfied-by-the-distinctions-between-the-oral-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f2/david-antin-16464_distinction_i-am-quite-unsatisfied-by-the-distinctio_1747052.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f2/david-antin-16464_distinction_i-am-quite-unsatisfied-by-the-distinctio_1747052.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f2/david-antin-16464_distinction_i-am-quite-unsatisfied-by-the-distinctio_1747052.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I am quite unsatisfied by the distinctions between the oral and literate.” — David Antin", "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": "David Antin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-antin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I am quite unsatisfied by the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-antin/i-am-quite-unsatisfied-by-the-distinctions-between-the-oral-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-antin/i-am-quite-unsatisfied-by-the-distinctions-between-the-oral-and/#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 } } ] } ```