---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's appositival, if it's there. And it…"
description: "\"It's appositival, if it's there. And it doesn't have to be there. And it's really obvious that it's there when it's there.\" — Larry Wall"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/551/larry-wall-1576_funny_it-s-appositival-if-it-s-there-and-it-do_942838.png"
---

#  It's appositival, if it's there. And it doesn't have to be…

![“It's appositival, if it's there. And it doesn't have to be there. And it's really obvious that it's there when it's there.” quote by Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/551/larry-wall-1576_funny_it-s-appositival-if-it-s-there-and-it-do_942838.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/551/larry-wall-1576_funny_it-s-appositival-if-it-s-there-and-it-do_942838.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/551/larry-wall-1576_funny_it-s-appositival-if-it-s-there-and-it-do_942838.png)

> “It's appositival, if it's there. And it doesn't have to be there. And it's really obvious that it's there when it's there.”

[Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Appositives are optional; they can be omitted without loss of meaning, though their presence may be evident.

**In simple terms:** Appositives are optional and sometimes obvious.

Key Takeaway

Use appositives only when they add clarity.

Themes

grammar clarity writing

Mood

analytical neutral

Type

instructional explanatory

When to use this quote

- technical documentation
- academic papers
- creative writing
- email drafting

Key Concepts

syntax linguistics

Questions to Reflect On

- When does an appositive improve a sentence?
- Is the appositive truly necessary?

A Different Perspective

Overusing appositives may clutter prose.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Doesn Really](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doesn-really-532174/) [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Obvious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obvious/) [Really](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/really/) [Really Obvious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/really-obvious-1624576/)

## Related quotes

> [Men aren't really complicated. They are very simple, literal creatures. They usually mean what they say. And we spend hours trying to analyze what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-l-james-2/men-aren-t-really-complicated-they-are-very-simple-literal-creatures/)

[E. L. James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-l-james-2/)

> [Sometimes I'm confused by what I think is really obvious. But what I think is really obvious obviously isn't obvious...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-stipe/sometimes-i-m-confused-by-what-i-think-is-really-obvious-but-what-i/)

[Michael Stipe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-stipe/)

> [I would much rather be No 1 than No 2 but in my day-to-day life it doesn't really affect anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scottie-scheffler/i-would-much-rather-be-no-1-than-no-2-but-in-my-day-to-day-life-it/)

[Scottie Scheffler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scottie-scheffler/)

> [Google doesn't really forget.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-zuckerman/google-doesn-t-really-forget/)

[Ethan Zuckerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-zuckerman/)

> [If it doesn't have that element to it, it doesn't really attract me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keanu-reeves/if-it-doesn-t-have-that-element-to-it-it-doesn-t-really-attract-me/)

[Keanu Reeves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keanu-reeves/)

> [There are writers who draw immediate attention to the fact that it's fiction. And I like some of that, but it doesn't really have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-canin/there-are-writers-who-draw-immediate-attention-to-the-fact-that-it-s/)

[Ethan Canin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-canin/)

> [The process of building a part doesn't really stop.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-pleasence/the-process-of-building-a-part-doesn-t-really-stop/)

[Donald Pleasence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-pleasence/)

> [Pop doesn't really look back. It can't. What makes pop work is simplicity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/branford-marsalis/pop-doesn-t-really-look-back-it-can-t-what-makes-pop-work-is/)

[Branford Marsalis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/branford-marsalis/)

> [“I think it doesn't really make a difference where she is, because she always takes herself with her.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-dahl/i-think-it-doesn-t-really-make-a-difference-where-she-is-because-she/)

[Sophie Dahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-dahl/)

> [It doesn't really matter if this movie's a success or not, because it's already out there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roland-emmerich/it-doesn-t-really-matter-if-this-movie-s-a-success-or-not-because-it/)

[Roland Emmerich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roland-emmerich/)

> [Our band doesn't really have a name.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tesh/our-band-doesn-t-really-have-a-name/)

[John Tesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tesh/)

> [What if God exists except it turns out he doesn't really like people very much?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/what-if-god-exists-except-it-turns-out-he-doesn-t-really-like-people/)

[Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/)

> [It doesn't really matter to me how people see me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-imperioli/it-doesn-t-really-matter-to-me-how-people-see-me/)

[Michael Imperioli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-imperioli/)

> [Marriage is like democracy - it doesn't really work, but it's all we've been able to come up with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-hazzard/marriage-is-like-democracy-it-doesn-t-really-work-but-it-s-all-we-ve/)

[Shirley Hazzard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-hazzard/)

> [“Evolution doesn’t really have a destination. It’s just dicking around with possibilities.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-moore/evolution-doesn-t-really-have-a-destination-it-s-just-dicking-around/)

[Christopher Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-moore/)

## More by Larry Wall

> [Not that I have anything much against redundancy. But I said that already.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/not-that-i-have-anything-much-against-redundancy-but-i-said-that/)

[Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/)

> [Perhaps you should compile your Perl with long doubles one of these megaseconds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/perhaps-you-should-compile-your-perl-with-long-doubles-one-of-these/)

[Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/)

> [Take Lisp, you know its the most beautiful language in the world -- at least up until Haskell came along.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/take-lisp-you-know-its-the-most-beautiful-language-in-the-world-at/)

[Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/)

> [I'm reminded of the day my daughter came in, looked over my shoulder at some Perl 4 code, and said, 'What is that, swearing?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/i-m-reminded-of-the-day-my-daughter-came-in-looked-over-my-shoulder/)

[Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/)

> [Yes, but I did manage to increase the amount of virginity in the world by that method.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/yes-but-i-did-manage-to-increase-the-amount-of-virginity-in-the-world/)

[Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/)

> [I won't mention any names, because I don't want to get sun4's into trouble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/i-won-t-mention-any-names-because-i-don-t-want-to-get-sun4-s-into/)

[Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/)

> [And besides, if Perl really takes off in the Windows space, I think the rest of us would just as soon have a double-agent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/and-besides-if-perl-really-takes-off-in-the-windows-space-i-think-the/)

[Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/)

> [In general, they do what you want, unless you want consistency.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/in-general-they-do-what-you-want-unless-you-want-consistency/)

[Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/)

> [I suppose you could switch grammars once you've seen 'use strict subs'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/i-suppose-you-could-switch-grammars-once-you-ve-seen-use-strict-subs/)

[Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/)

> [While I have historically been a late worker, you know, sometimes I even like to get up early and see what's happened in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/while-i-have-historically-been-a-late-worker-you-know-sometimes-i/)

[Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/)

> [All language designers are arrogant. Goes with the territory...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/all-language-designers-are-arrogant-goes-with-the-territory/)

[Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/)

> [Perl has a long tradition of working around compilers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/perl-has-a-long-tradition-of-working-around-compilers/)

[Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/)

> [Part of language design is perturbing the proposed feature in various directions to see how it might generalize in the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/part-of-language-design-is-perturbing-the-proposed-feature-in-various/)

[Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/)

> [We can debug relationships, but it's always good policy to consider the people themselves to be features. People get annoyed when you try to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/we-can-debug-relationships-but-it-s-always-good-policy-to-consider/)

[Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/)

> [The whole intent of Perl 5's module system was to encourage the growth of Perl culture rather than the Perl core.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/the-whole-intent-of-perl-5-s-module-system-was-to-encourage-the/)

[Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/)

[Explore all 226 Larry Wall quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/)

## More Funny quotes

> [You cant be controlling in improv.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-walsh/you-cant-be-controlling-in-improv/)

[Matt Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-walsh/)

> [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/)

[Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/)

> [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/)

[Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/)

> [It's a hard thing to describe. It's just this sense that you got something to say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lehrer/it-s-a-hard-thing-to-describe-it-s-just-this-sense-that-you-got/)

[Jonah Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lehrer/)

> [God reveals Himself through surprises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/god-reveals-himself-through-surprises/)

[Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/)

> [Sometimes I look at my awesome twitter followers &amp; think to myself, What the hell would I do without them :)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/sometimes-i-look-at-my-awesome-twitter-followers-think-to-myself-what/)

[Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/)

> [The happy have whole days,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colley-cibber/the-happy-have-whole-days/)

[Colley Cibber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colley-cibber/)

> [Congratulations to Facebook on going public with all my private information...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/congratulations-to-facebook-on-going-public-with-all-my-private/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Why are things as they are and not otherwise?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johannes-kepler/why-are-things-as-they-are-and-not-otherwise/)

[Johannes Kepler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johannes-kepler/)

> [I've been funny my whole life. This is a gift God gave me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-morgan/i-ve-been-funny-my-whole-life-this-is-a-gift-god-gave-me/)

[Tracy Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-morgan/)

> [Penis goes in , sperms cums out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/penis-goes-in-sperms-cums-out/)

[Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/)

> [If you were to send a werewolf to the moon, would he be a werewolf permanently?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-schaal/if-you-were-to-send-a-werewolf-to-the-moon-would-he-be-a-werewolf/)

[Kristen Schaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-schaal/)

> [When you have a choice, choose happy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pancho-barnes/when-you-have-a-choice-choose-happy/)

[Pancho Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pancho-barnes/)

> [If you can connect people, you can create the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-heiferman/if-you-can-connect-people-you-can-create-the-future/)

[Scott Heiferman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-heiferman/)

> [Don't think OF the market. Think AS the market.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-fishman/don-t-think-of-the-market-think-as-the-market/)

[Michael Fishman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-fishman/)

[Browse all 39,858 Funny quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "It's appositival, if it's there. And it doesn't have to be there. And it's really obvious that it's there when it's there.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Larry Wall"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/it-s-appositival-if-it-s-there-and-it-doesn-t-have-to-be-there-and-it/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Funny"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/it-s-appositival-if-it-s-there-and-it-doesn-t-have-to-be-there-and-it/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/551/larry-wall-1576_funny_it-s-appositival-if-it-s-there-and-it-do_942838.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/551/larry-wall-1576_funny_it-s-appositival-if-it-s-there-and-it-do_942838.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/551/larry-wall-1576_funny_it-s-appositival-if-it-s-there-and-it-do_942838.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“It's appositival, if it's there. And it doesn't have to be there. And it's really obvious that it's there…” — Larry Wall",
                "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": "Larry Wall",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "It's appositival, if it's there. And...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/it-s-appositival-if-it-s-there-and-it-doesn-t-have-to-be-there-and-it/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/it-s-appositival-if-it-s-there-and-it-doesn-t-have-to-be-there-and-it/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
