--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Words have their own hierarchy, their own…" description: "\"“Words have their own hierarchy, their own protocol, their own aristocratic titles, their own plebeian stigmas.”\" — José Saramago" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dcd/jos-saramago-208_aristocracy_words-have-their-own-hierarchy-their-own_2182030.png" --- # Words have their own hierarchy, their own protocol, their… ![“Words have their own hierarchy, their own protocol, their own aristocratic titles, their own plebeian stigmas.” quote by José Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dcd/jos-saramago-208_aristocracy_words-have-their-own-hierarchy-their-own_2182030.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dcd/jos-saramago-208_aristocracy_words-have-their-own-hierarchy-their-own_2182030.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dcd/jos-saramago-208_aristocracy_words-have-their-own-hierarchy-their-own_2182030.png) > ““Words have their own hierarchy, their own protocol, their own aristocratic titles, their own plebeian stigmas.”” [José Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Language structures power, assigning status and stigma to words themselves. **In simple terms:** Words create social hierarchies. Key Takeaway Recognize how word choice shapes perception. Themes language power social hierarchy Mood critical reflective Type analytical philosophical When to use this quote - writing - public speaking - media analysis Key Concepts semiotics linguistic stratification Questions to Reflect On - How do you choose words to empower? - What biases are embedded in everyday language? A Different Perspective Words can be misused to reinforce inequality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Aristocracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aristocracy/) [Aristocratic Titles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aristocratic-titles-4717367/) [Hierarchy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hierarchy/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Plebeian Stigmas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plebeian-stigmas-4717366/) [Protocol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/protocol/) [Protocol Aristocratic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/protocol-aristocratic-4717365/) [Stigmas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stigmas-178023/) [Titles Plebeian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/titles-plebeian-4717364/) [Words](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/words/) [Words Hierarchy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/words-hierarchy-3772055/) ## Related quotes > [Words have their own hierarchy, their own protocol, their own artistic titles, their own plebeian stigmas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/words-have-their-own-hierarchy-their-own-protocol-their-own-artistic/) [Jose Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [Success cannot be achieved by reconfirming the words of the hierarchy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/success-cannot-be-achieved-by-reconfirming-the-words-of-the-hierarchy/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Stigmas as the corollaries of values. If work, independence, responsibility, respectability are valued, then their converse must be devalued, seen as disreputable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-himmelfarb/stigmas-as-the-corollaries-of-values-if-work-independence/) [Gertrude Himmelfarb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-himmelfarb/) > [“Some disabled people spend a significant amount of their energy on trying to come across as abled or as not that disabled.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/some-disabled-people-spend-a-significant-amount-of-their-energy-on/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [With a lot of these social stigmas, they just don't need to be in place. Just by talking about them, we can often shatter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-prentice/with-a-lot-of-these-social-stigmas-they-just-don-t-need-to-be-in/) [Justin Prentice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-prentice/) ## More by José Saramago > [“We are born, and at that moment, it is as if we had signed a pact for the rest of our life, but a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/we-are-born-and-at-that-moment-it-is-as-if-we-had-signed-a-pact-for/) [José Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [It takes little or nothing to undo reputations, the merest trifle makes and remakes them, it is simply a question of finding the best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/it-takes-little-or-nothing-to-undo-reputations-the-merest-trifle/) [Jose Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [One can show no greater respect than to weep for a stranger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/one-can-show-no-greater-respect-than-to-weep-for-a-stranger/) [Jose Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [I am not a prophet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/i-am-not-a-prophet/) [Jose Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [With the passage of time, as well as the social evolution and genetic exchange, we ended up putting our conscience in the color of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/with-the-passage-of-time-as-well-as-the-social-evolution-and-genetic/) [Jose Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [“Al día siguiente no murió nadie.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/al-d-a-siguiente-no-muri-nadie/) [José Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [“E se as histórias para crianças passassem a ser de leitura obrigatória para os adultos? Seriam eles capazes de aprender realmente o que há…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/e-se-as-hist-rias-para-crian-as-passassem-a-ser-de-leitura-obrigat/) [José Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [In a king, modesty would be a sign of weakness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/in-a-king-modesty-would-be-a-sign-of-weakness/) [Jose Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [“the inmates of the second ward in the right wing have decided, at long last, to bury their dead, at least we shall be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/the-inmates-of-the-second-ward-in-the-right-wing-have-decided-at-long/) [José Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [“Stretching one arm behind him, the man passed his hand over the horse's coat, his own skin transformed, or skin which had transformed into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/stretching-one-arm-behind-him-the-man-passed-his-hand-over-the-horse/) [José Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [I think we are blind. Blind people who can see, but do not see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/i-think-we-are-blind-blind-people-who-can-see-but-do-not-see/) [Jose Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [...you have to leave the island in order to see the island, that we can't see ourselves unless we become free of ourselves, Unless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/you-have-to-leave-the-island-in-order-to-see-the-island-that-we-can-t/) [Jose Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [anyone who gets up early by inclination or has been forced to rise early out of necessity finds it intolerable that others should go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/anyone-who-gets-up-early-by-inclination-or-has-been-forced-to-rise/) [Jose Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [Society has to change, but the political powers we have at the moment are not enough to effect this change. The whole democratic system…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/society-has-to-change-but-the-political-powers-we-have-at-the-moment/) [Jose Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) > [“... aborrece os odores nocturnos, aquelas expansões do corpo a que nem poetas escapam".”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/aborrece-os-odores-nocturnos-aquelas-expans-es-do-corpo-a-que-nem/) [José Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) [Explore all 487 José Saramago quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) ## More Aristocracy quotes > [When I was trying to come up with a stage name, I thought 'Lord' was super rad, but really masculine - ever since I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorde/when-i-was-trying-to-come-up-with-a-stage-name-i-thought-lord-was/) [Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorde/) > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [Motherland is our property and we have right to handle our properties as pleased. 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The worries of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-jean-nathan/common-sense-in-so-far-as-it-exists-is-all-for-the-bourgeoisie/) [George Jean Nathan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-jean-nathan/) [Browse all 426 Aristocracy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aristocracy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Words have their own hierarchy, their own protocol, their own aristocratic titles, their own plebeian stigmas.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "José Saramago" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/words-have-their-own-hierarchy-their-own-protocol-their-own/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Aristocracy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/words-have-their-own-hierarchy-their-own-protocol-their-own/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dcd/jos-saramago-208_aristocracy_words-have-their-own-hierarchy-their-own_2182030.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dcd/jos-saramago-208_aristocracy_words-have-their-own-hierarchy-their-own_2182030.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dcd/jos-saramago-208_aristocracy_words-have-their-own-hierarchy-their-own_2182030.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Words have their own hierarchy, their own protocol, their own aristocratic titles, their own plebeian stigmas.” — José Saramago", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "José Saramago", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Words have their own hierarchy, their...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/words-have-their-own-hierarchy-their-own-protocol-their-own/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/words-have-their-own-hierarchy-their-own-protocol-their-own/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```