Abandon Quote by Gaston Bachelard
“I am a dreamer of words, of written words. I think I am reading; a word stops me. I leave the page. The syllables of the word begin to move around. Stressed accents begin to invert. The word abandons its meaning like an overload which is too heavy and prevents dreaming. Then words take on other meanings as if they had the right to be young. And the words wander away, looking in the nooks and crannies of vocabulary for new company, bad company.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Poetics of Space, 1958
Words can become fluid, shedding fixed meanings and inviting imaginative reinterpretation, reflecting the mind’s creative play.
In simple terms: Words can shift meaning and inspire new ideas.
Key Takeaway
Embrace linguistic flexibility.
Themes
creativity
language fluidity
imagination
Mood
playful
introspective
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- writing
- teaching
- artistic brainstorming
Key Concepts
semantic shift
poetic perception
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you harness word play without losing clarity?
- When does fluidity become confusion?
A Different Perspective
Over‑interpretation may obscure clear communication.
