--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: the strange thing is that when a word is…" description: "\"“the strange thing is that when a word is well established as a swear word, it seems to lose its original meaning; that is, it loses the thing that mad..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ba/george-orwell-57_swear-word_the-strange-thing-is-that-when-a-word-is_1579512.jpg" --- # the strange thing is that when a word is well established… ![“the strange thing is that when a word is well established as a swear word, it seems to lose its original meaning; that is, it loses the thing that made it into a swear word. A word becomes an oath because it means a certain thing, and, because it has become an oath, it ceases to mean that thing.” quote by George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ba/george-orwell-57_swear-word_the-strange-thing-is-that-when-a-word-is_1579512.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ba/george-orwell-57_swear-word_the-strange-thing-is-that-when-a-word-is_1579512.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ba/george-orwell-57_swear-word_the-strange-thing-is-that-when-a-word-is_1579512.jpg) > ““the strange thing is that when a word is well established as a swear word, it seems to lose its original meaning; that is, it loses the thing that made it into a swear word. A word becomes an oath because it means a certain thing, and, because it has become an oath, it ceases to mean that thing.”” [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Swear words lose their original meaning once they become common oaths, turning into empty symbols. **In simple terms:** Swear words become meaningless over time. Key Takeaway Be mindful of language's evolving power. Themes language meaning culture Mood critical analytical Type philosophical linguistic When to use this quote - political speeches - media - everyday conversation Key Concepts semantics linguistics Questions to Reflect On - Why do societies create new taboo words? - Can reclaiming words restore their impact? A Different Perspective May ignore the role of context in preserving meaning. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Established Swear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/established-swear-5964436/) [Oath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oath/) [Oath Means](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oath-means-5964434/) [Swear word](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/swear-word/) [Swearing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/swearing/) [Word Oath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/word-oath-5964435/) ## Related quotes > [The odd swear word doesn't harm anyone, does it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-harding/the-odd-swear-word-doesn-t-harm-anyone-does-it/) [Sarah Harding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-harding/) > [County library? Reference desk, please. Hello? Yes, I need a word definition. Well, that's the problem. 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