--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: All slang is metaphor, and all metaphor…" description: "\"All slang is metaphor, and all metaphor is poetry.\" — Gilbert K. Chesterton" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a04/gilbert-k-chesterton-223_metaphor_all-slang-is-metaphor-and-all-metaphor-i_2883586.png" --- # All slang is metaphor, and all metaphor is poetry. ![“All slang is metaphor, and all metaphor is poetry.” quote by Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a04/gilbert-k-chesterton-223_metaphor_all-slang-is-metaphor-and-all-metaphor-i_2883586.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a04/gilbert-k-chesterton-223_metaphor_all-slang-is-metaphor-and-all-metaphor-i_2883586.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a04/gilbert-k-chesterton-223_metaphor_all-slang-is-metaphor-and-all-metaphor-i_2883586.png) > “All slang is metaphor, and all metaphor is poetry.” [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Slang functions as metaphor, and metaphor is essentially poetry. **In simple terms:** Slang is poetic metaphor. Key Takeaway Appreciate language's poetic nature. Themes language metaphor poetry Mood playful thoughtful Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - writing workshops - education - advertising - literary analysis Key Concepts linguistic creativity cultural expression artistic perception Questions to Reflect On - How does slang enrich communication? - When does metaphor hinder clarity? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on metaphor may obscure literal meaning. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Metaphor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/metaphor/) [Metaphor Metaphor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/metaphor-metaphor-369103/) [Metaphor Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/metaphor-poetry-485821/) [Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry/) [Slang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slang/) [Slang Metaphor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slang-metaphor-4009989/) ## Related quotes > [Drawing is a way of coming upon the connection between things, just like metaphor in poetry reconnects what has become separated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-berger/drawing-is-a-way-of-coming-upon-the-connection-between-things-just/) [John Berger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-berger/) > [“No algorithm exists for the metaphor, nor can a metaphor be produced by means of a computer’s precise instructions, no matter what the volume…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umberto-eco/no-algorithm-exists-for-the-metaphor-nor-can-a-metaphor-be-produced/) [Umberto Eco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umberto-eco/) > [“when you describe something by using a word for something that it isn’t. 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See, I find that mine don't have any meanings.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-fraser/i-was-able-to-make-up-lots-of-portementos-literally-hundreds-and/) [Elizabeth Fraser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-fraser/) ## More by Gilbert K. Chesterton > [The aim of good prose words is to mean what they say. The aim of good poetical words is to mean what they do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/the-aim-of-good-prose-words-is-to-mean-what-they-say-the-aim-of-good/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [Youth is always too serious, and just now it is too serious about frivolity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/youth-is-always-too-serious-and-just-now-it-is-too-serious-about/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [Tradition does not mean a dead town; it does not mean that the living are dead but that the dead are alive. It means…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/tradition-does-not-mean-a-dead-town-it-does-not-mean-that-the-living/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [It is shorter to state the things forbidden than the things permitted; precisely because most things are permitted and only a few things forbidden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/it-is-shorter-to-state-the-things-forbidden-than-the-things-permitted/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [Everyone seems to assume that the unscrupulous parts of journalism will be the frivolous or jocular parts. This is against all ethical experience. Jokes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/everyone-seems-to-assume-that-the-unscrupulous-parts-of-journalism/) [Gilbert K. 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Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [The triangle of truisms, of father, mother and child, cannot be destroyed; it can only destroy those civilizations which disregard it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/the-triangle-of-truisms-of-father-mother-and-child-cannot-be/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [Criticism is only words about words, and of what use are words about such words as these?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/criticism-is-only-words-about-words-and-of-what-use-are-words-about/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [What we suffer from today is humility in the wrong place...The old humility was a spur that prevented a man from stopping; not a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/what-we-suffer-from-today-is-humility-in-the-wrong-place-the-old/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [Plato was only a Bernard Shaw who unfortunately made his jokes in Greek.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/plato-was-only-a-bernard-shaw-who-unfortunately-made-his-jokes-in/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [The word good has many meanings...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/the-word-good-has-many-meanings/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [Music with dinner is an insult both to the cook and the violinist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/music-with-dinner-is-an-insult-both-to-the-cook-and-the-violinist/) [Gilbert K. 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