--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Joelle cuts off his interjection and says…" description: "\"“Joelle cuts off his interjection and says that but that her trouble with it is that ‘But For the Grace of God’ is a subjunctive, a counterfactual, she..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/85f/david-foster-wallace-161_grace_joelle-cuts-off-his-interjection-and-say_1130524.jpg" --- # Joelle cuts off his interjection and says that but that… ![“Joelle cuts off his interjection and says that but that her trouble with it is that ‘But For the Grace of God’ is a subjunctive, a counterfactual, she says and can make sense only when introducing a conditional clause, like e.g. ‘But For the Grace of God I would have died on Molly Notkin’s…” quote by David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/85f/david-foster-wallace-161_grace_joelle-cuts-off-his-interjection-and-say_1130524.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/85f/david-foster-wallace-161_grace_joelle-cuts-off-his-interjection-and-say_1130524.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/85f/david-foster-wallace-161_grace_joelle-cuts-off-his-interjection-and-say_1130524.jpg) > ““Joelle cuts off his interjection and says that but that her trouble with it is that ‘But For the Grace of God’ is a subjunctive, a counterfactual, she says and can make sense only when introducing a conditional clause, like e.g. ‘But For the Grace of God I would have died on Molly Notkin’s bathroom floor,’ so that an indicative transposition like \[…\] she says, literally senseless, and regardless of whether she hears it or not it’s meaningless.”” [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Joelle argues that the phrase “But for the Grace of God” is grammatically a subjunctive conditional, making it nonsensical when used without a clause. **In simple terms:** The phrase is a conditional that needs a clause to make sense. Key Takeaway Use precise language when forming conditionals. Themes language grammar communication Mood analytical critical thoughtful Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - writing - editing - teaching grammar - public speaking Key Concepts subjunctive mood conditional logic semantic clarity Questions to Reflect On - When does poetic license outweigh grammatical precision? - How can you convey meaning without strict syntax? A Different Perspective The phrase can be used poetically even without a clause, adding emotional weight. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Grace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grace/) [Grace of god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grace-of-god/) ## Related quotes > [“Granted, we never gave you a choice, but wouldn’t you have agreed to transfer those dreams to us, knowing now what you could not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-russell/granted-we-never-gave-you-a-choice-but-wouldn-t-you-have-agreed-to/) [Karen Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-russell/) > [Remember, constantly, that when you talk about 'tense of a subjunctive,' you're not talking about time. You're slipping through degrees of reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/remember-constantly-that-when-you-talk-about-tense-of-a-subjunctive/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A story begins and it always passes from the subjunctive to the declarative. 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