--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Certainly ordinary language has no claim…" description: "\"Certainly ordinary language has no claim to be the last word, if there is such a thing.\" — J. L. Austin" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a0/j-l-austin-17560_certainly_certainly-ordinary-language-has-no-claim_990355.png" --- # Certainly ordinary language has no claim to be the last… ![“Certainly ordinary language has no claim to be the last word, if there is such a thing.” quote by J. L. Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a0/j-l-austin-17560_certainly_certainly-ordinary-language-has-no-claim_990355.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a0/j-l-austin-17560_certainly_certainly-ordinary-language-has-no-claim_990355.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a0/j-l-austin-17560_certainly_certainly-ordinary-language-has-no-claim_990355.png) > “Certainly ordinary language has no claim to be the last word, if there is such a thing.” [J. L. Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-l-austin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Language is a tool, not an ultimate authority; meaning is context‑dependent. **In simple terms:** Words aren’t the final truth. Key Takeaway Use language critically, question assumptions. Themes language philosophy communication Mood analytical skeptical Type philosophical educational When to use this quote - debates - legal arguments - media analysis - education Key Concepts speech act theory semantic relativism critical thinking Questions to Reflect On - When do you accept a statement as final? - How can you test a claim’s validity? A Different Perspective Words can be misused to obscure truth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Certainly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certainly/) [Certainly Ordinary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certainly-ordinary-2023850/) [Claims](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/claims/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Language Claim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language-claim-2023851/) [Last Word](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/last-word/) [Last words](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/last-words/) [Lasts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lasts/) [Ordinary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ordinary/) [Ordinary Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ordinary-language-311359/) ## Related quotes > [Certainly ordinary language has no claim to be the last word, if there is such a thing. It embodies, indeed, something better than the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-l-austin/certainly-ordinary-language-has-no-claim-to-be-the-last-word-if-there/) [J. L. Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-l-austin/) > [Common sense doesn't have the last word in ethics or anywhere else, but it has, as J. L. Austin said about ordinary language, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-nagel/common-sense-doesn-t-have-the-last-word-in-ethics-or-anywhere-else/) [Thomas Nagel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-nagel/) > [Ordinary language embodies the metaphysics of the Stone Age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-l-austin/ordinary-language-embodies-the-metaphysics-of-the-stone-age/) [J. L. Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-l-austin/) > [Numb and broken, here I stand alone. Wondering what were the last words I said to you. Hoping, praying that I'll find a way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/killswitch-engage/numb-and-broken-here-i-stand-alone-wondering-what-were-the-last-words/) [Killswitch Engage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/killswitch-engage/) > [“A fourth son, thought Damen, waiting for someone to notice him. When he wasn’t trying to please, he was baiting authority, as though negative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-pacat/a-fourth-son-thought-damen-waiting-for-someone-to-notice-him-when-he/) [C.S. Pacat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-pacat/) > [“As he drove away, he recalled Jack’s last words to him. The dark, dusty well was just a hazy memory now, but he could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-warren/as-he-drove-away-he-recalled-jack-s-last-words-to-him-the-dark-dusty/) [Andrew Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-warren/) > [Socialism, when the last word is said, is merely a new economic and political system whereby more men can get food to eat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-london/socialism-when-the-last-word-is-said-is-merely-a-new-economic-and/) [Jack London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-london/) > [“All my possessions for a moment of time. This was Queen Elizabeth I’s last words. Rest assured that he who has the longest time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/all-my-possessions-for-a-moment-of-time-this-was-queen-elizabeth-i-s/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [The last word of our Lord to the church was not the Great Commission. The last thing He said to the church was 'Repent.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vance-havner/the-last-word-of-our-lord-to-the-church-was-not-the-great-commission/) [Vance Havner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vance-havner/) > [“Go on, get out! Last words are for fools who haven't said enough!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-marx/go-on-get-out-last-words-are-for-fools-who-haven-t-said-enough/) [Karl Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-marx/) > [“And then, the last words Raspail ever said: 'I wonder why my parents didn't kill me before I was old enough to fool them.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-harris/and-then-the-last-words-raspail-ever-said-i-wonder-why-my-parents/) [Thomas Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-harris/) > [Society takes what it wants. The artist himself does not count, because there is no actual existence for the work of art. The work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-duchamp/society-takes-what-it-wants-the-artist-himself-does-not-count-because/) [Marcel Duchamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-duchamp/) > [“Dear Beloved woman, Time… so much time has passed since my love wrote his last words for me. And yet I remember it as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/talon-p-s/dear-beloved-woman-time-so-much-time-has-passed-since-my-love-wrote/) [Talon P.S](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/talon-p-s/) > [“Watch a man in times of adversity to discover what kind of man he is; for then at last words of truth are drawn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucretius/watch-a-man-in-times-of-adversity-to-discover-what-kind-of-man-he-is/) [Lucretius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucretius/) > [“He put his forehead against hers. “Alannah, my heart is yours.” He said softly. “And yet, I must hand it over to someone else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-c-morin/he-put-his-forehead-against-hers-alannah-my-heart-is-yours-he-said/) [B.C. Morin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-c-morin/) ## More by J. L. Austin > [We become obsessed with 'truth' when discussing statements, just as we become obsessed with 'freedom' when discussing conduct...Like freedom, truth is a bare minimum…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-l-austin/we-become-obsessed-with-truth-when-discussing-statements-just-as-we/) [J. L. Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-l-austin/) > [Usually it is uses of words, not words in themselves, that are properly called vague.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-l-austin/usually-it-is-uses-of-words-not-words-in-themselves-that-are-properly/) [J. L. Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-l-austin/) > [The theory of truth is a series of truisms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-l-austin/the-theory-of-truth-is-a-series-of-truisms/) [J. L. Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-l-austin/) > [In the one defense, briefly, we accept responsibility but deny that it was bad: in the other, we admit that it was bad but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-l-austin/in-the-one-defense-briefly-we-accept-responsibility-but-deny-that-it/) [J. L. Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-l-austin/) > [Are cans constitutionally iffy? Whenever, that is, we say that we can do something, or could do something, or could have done something, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-l-austin/are-cans-constitutionally-iffy-whenever-that-is-we-say-that-we-can-do/) [J. L. Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-l-austin/) > [The trouble is that the expression 'material thing' is functioning already, from the very beginning, simply as a foil for 'sense-datum'; it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-l-austin/the-trouble-is-that-the-expression-material-thing-is-functioning/) [J. L. Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-l-austin/) > [The beginning of sense, not to say wisdom, is to realize that 'doing an action,' as used in philosophy, is a highly abstract expression--it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-l-austin/the-beginning-of-sense-not-to-say-wisdom-is-to-realize-that-doing-an/) [J. L. Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-l-austin/) > [Is it true or false that Belfast is north of London? That the galaxy is the shape of a fried egg? That Beethoven was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-l-austin/is-it-true-or-false-that-belfast-is-north-of-london-that-the-galaxy/) [J. L. Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-l-austin/) > [Certainly ordinary language has no claim to be the last word, if there is such a thing. It embodies, indeed, something better than the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-l-austin/certainly-ordinary-language-has-no-claim-to-be-the-last-word-if-there/) [J. L. Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-l-austin/) > [Our common stock of words embodies all the distinctions men have found worth drawing, and the connexions they have found worth marketing, in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-l-austin/our-common-stock-of-words-embodies-all-the-distinctions-men-have/) [J. L. Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-l-austin/) > [It should be quite clear, then, that there are no criteria to be laid down in general for distinguishing the real from the not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-l-austin/it-should-be-quite-clear-then-that-there-are-no-criteria-to-be-laid/) [J. L. Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-l-austin/) > [In one sense 'there are' both universals and material objects, in another sense there is no such thing as either: statements about each can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-l-austin/in-one-sense-there-are-both-universals-and-material-objects-in/) [J. L. Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-l-austin/) > [I begin, then, with some remarks about 'the meaning of a word.' I think many persons now see all or part of what I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-l-austin/i-begin-then-with-some-remarks-about-the-meaning-of-a-word-i-think/) [J. L. Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-l-austin/) > [Fact is richer than diction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-l-austin/fact-is-richer-than-diction/) [J. L. Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-l-austin/) > [Next, 'real' is what we may call a trouser-word. It is usually thought, and I dare say usually rightly thought, that what one might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-l-austin/next-real-is-what-we-may-call-a-trouser-word-it-is-usually-thought/) [J. L. Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-l-austin/) [Explore all 37 J. L. Austin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-l-austin/) ## More Certainly quotes > [For not only every democracy, but certainly every republic, bears within itself the seeds of its own destruction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/for-not-only-every-democracy-but-certainly-every-republic-bears/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [I would have done well as a gypsy child, I think. A circus baby. I coulda played a great street urchin or ragamuffin. Or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-lyonne/i-would-have-done-well-as-a-gypsy-child-i-think-a-circus-baby-i/) [Natasha Lyonne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-lyonne/) > [I mean those people who are interested in good government will certainly contribute in order to make certain there's some counter-balance to those whose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-breyer/i-mean-those-people-who-are-interested-in-good-government-will/) [Stephen Breyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-breyer/) > [I'm certainly not a perfect mother, but I'm trying to be what my mother wasn't for me. My mother's battled depression, so I understand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-hamill/i-m-certainly-not-a-perfect-mother-but-i-m-trying-to-be-what-my/) [Dorothy Hamill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-hamill/) > [Design certainly has a cosmetic, aesthetic aim. It always aims at making things beautiful. But relevance is just as important. I often say, 'If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yves-behar/design-certainly-has-a-cosmetic-aesthetic-aim-it-always-aims-at/) [Yves Behar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yves-behar/) > [If we can send a guy to the moon we can certainly go a quarter of a mile and not get hurt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-prudhomme/if-we-can-send-a-guy-to-the-moon-we-can-certainly-go-a-quarter-of-a/) [Don Prudhomme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-prudhomme/) > [I've certainly seen a lot of my cartoonist friends embrace 'Little Lulu' in a much deeper way because their kids love it so much.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth/i-ve-certainly-seen-a-lot-of-my-cartoonist-friends-embrace-little/) [Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth/) > [Righteousness and faith certainly are instrumental in moving mountains - if moving mountains accomplishes God's purposes and is in accordance with His will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-a-bednar/righteousness-and-faith-certainly-are-instrumental-in-moving/) [David A. Bednar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-a-bednar/) > [I have never really been fond of animals. I certainly wasn't an 'animal lover' when I became involved in the movement. I just came…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-singer/i-have-never-really-been-fond-of-animals-i-certainly-wasn-t-an-animal/) [Peter Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-singer/) > [Certainly it is not a democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anwar-ibrahim/certainly-it-is-not-a-democracy/) [Anwar Ibrahim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anwar-ibrahim/) > [Spain are certainly one of the best teams in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kieran-trippier/spain-are-certainly-one-of-the-best-teams-in-the-world/) [Kieran Trippier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kieran-trippier/) > [I'm certainly not a white supremacist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-stewart/i-m-certainly-not-a-white-supremacist/) [Corey Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-stewart/) > [I certainly know that on our first tour of America in 1968, David Crosby came to see us backstage at the Fillmore East in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-hayward/i-certainly-know-that-on-our-first-tour-of-america-in-1968-david/) [Justin Hayward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-hayward/) > [Will capitalist economies operate at full employment in the absence of routine intervention? Certainly not. Are deviations from full employment a social problem? Obviously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-yellen/will-capitalist-economies-operate-at-full-employment-in-the-absence/) [Janet Yellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-yellen/) [Browse all 1,298 Certainly quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certainly/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Certainly ordinary language has no claim to be the last word, if there is such a thing.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "J. L. 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