--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We never choose which words to use, for…" description: "\"We never choose which words to use, for as long as they mean what they mean to mean, we don’t care if they make sense or nonsense.\" — Norton Juster" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e7/norton-juster-2113_care_we-never-choose-which-words-to-use-for-a_2106364.png" --- # We never choose which words to use, for as long as they… ![“We never choose which words to use, for as long as they mean what they mean to mean, we don’t care if they make sense or nonsense.” quote by Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e7/norton-juster-2113_care_we-never-choose-which-words-to-use-for-a_2106364.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e7/norton-juster-2113_care_we-never-choose-which-words-to-use-for-a_2106364.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e7/norton-juster-2113_care_we-never-choose-which-words-to-use-for-a_2106364.png) > “We never choose which words to use, for as long as they mean what they mean to mean, we don’t care if they make sense or nonsense.” [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Words are chosen for meaning, not logical sense; meaning overrides coherence. **In simple terms:** Meaning matters more than sense. Key Takeaway Prioritize intent over form. Themes language creativity meaning Mood playful thoughtful Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - writing - teaching - artistic expression Key Concepts semantic flexibility linguistic play Questions to Reflect On - When is nonsense useful? - How to balance meaning and clarity? A Different Perspective Excessive nonsense can obscure communication. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Care](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/care/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Nonsense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nonsense/) ## Related quotes > [The words we use have weight. Whether it's in a conversation with a friend or something said publicly on stage or broadcast. And as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hari-kondabolu/the-words-we-use-have-weight-whether-it-s-in-a-conversation-with-a/) [Hari Kondabolu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hari-kondabolu/) > [Many people are alive only because its illegal to shoot them…Sometimes there is some SENSE in NONSENSE.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/many-people-are-alive-only-because-its-illegal-to-shoot-them/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I conclude that there is as much sense in nonsense as there is nonsense in sense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-burgess/i-conclude-that-there-is-as-much-sense-in-nonsense-as-there-is/) [Anthony Burgess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-burgess/) > [“Nonsense can be an ingenious architect of sense, as it may turn things upside down and, so doing, sharpen our perception, stir our imagination,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-pevernagie/nonsense-can-be-an-ingenious-architect-of-sense-as-it-may-turn-things/) [Erik Pevernagie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-pevernagie/) > [And that's why people no longer care which words they use as long as they use lots of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/and-that-s-why-people-no-longer-care-which-words-they-use-as-long-as/) [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) > [I don't have a great sense of humor, but I do have a great sense of nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/i-don-t-have-a-great-sense-of-humor-but-i-do-have-a-great-sense-of/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [“Phd without common sense is nonsense”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sekoni-sullivan/phd-without-common-sense-is-nonsense/) sekoni sullivan > [What we can do is provide the tools, through our educational system, for people to be able to tell sense from nonsense. These tools…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-m-krauss/what-we-can-do-is-provide-the-tools-through-our-educational-system/) [Lawrence M. Krauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-m-krauss/) > [Perhaps there is more sense in our nonsense and more nonsense in our 'sense' than we would care to believe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bohm/perhaps-there-is-more-sense-in-our-nonsense-and-more-nonsense-in-our/) [David Bohm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bohm/) > [The pendulum of the mind alternates between sense and nonsense, not between right and wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/the-pendulum-of-the-mind-alternates-between-sense-and-nonsense-not/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) > [“Perhaps we don't always discriminate between sense and nonsense.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/perhaps-we-don-t-always-discriminate-between-sense-and-nonsense/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [“You can create sense out of nonsense, something out of nothing. You can create wealth out of dearth, viable ventures out of turbulent adventures.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ikechukwu-joseph/you-can-create-sense-out-of-nonsense-something-out-of-nothing-you-can/) [IKECHUKWU JOSEPH](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ikechukwu-joseph/) > [“In essence, love makes no sense, In fact, there is more nonsense than sense in love. Great philosophers - Socrates, Plato and Aristotle alike,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/devi-di-guida/in-essence-love-makes-no-sense-in-fact-there-is-more-nonsense-than/) Devi di Guida > [There's plenty of sense in nonsense sometimes, if you wish to look for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/there-s-plenty-of-sense-in-nonsense-sometimes-if-you-wish-to-look-for/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [There are realms of life where the concepts of sense and nonsense do not apply.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-galloway/there-are-realms-of-life-where-the-concepts-of-sense-and-nonsense-do/) [Gregory Galloway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-galloway/) ## More by Norton Juster > [You see, years ago I was just an ordinary bee minding my own business, smelling flowers all day, and occasionally picking up part-time work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/you-see-years-ago-i-was-just-an-ordinary-bee-minding-my-own-business/) [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) > [“How are you going to make it move? It doesn't have a – " "Be very quiet," advised the duke, "for it goes without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/how-are-you-going-to-make-it-move-it-doesn-t-have-a-be-very-quiet/) [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) > [It was really written as most, I think, books are by writers - for themselves. There was something that just had to be written,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/it-was-really-written-as-most-i-think-books-are-by-writers-for/) [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) > [“What kind of a place is Expectations?" inquired Milo, unable to see the humor and feeling very doubtful of the little man's sanity. "Good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/what-kind-of-a-place-is-expectations-inquired-milo-unable-to-see-the/) [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) > [There is much worth noticing that often escapes the eye.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/there-is-much-worth-noticing-that-often-escapes-the-eye/) [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) > [“The most important reason for going from one place to another is to see what's in between.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/the-most-important-reason-for-going-from-one-place-to-another-is-to/) [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) > [“As the cheering continued, Rhyme leaned forward and touched Milo gently on the shoulder. "They're cheering for you," she said with a smile. "But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/as-the-cheering-continued-rhyme-leaned-forward-and-touched-milo/) [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) > [He paused again as a tear of longing rolled from cheek to lip with the sweet-salty taste of an old memory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/he-paused-again-as-a-tear-of-longing-rolled-from-cheek-to-lip-with/) [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) > [“Kad god se nasmiješiš, radost se oko tebe širi poput kolobara u bari, i kad god si tužan, nitko nigdje ne može biti stvarno…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/kad-god-se-nasmije-i-radost-se-oko-tebe-iri-poput-kolobara-u-bari-i/) [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) > [“Why not take a few pounds of ‘happys’?” advised the salesman. “They’re much more practical—and very useful for Happy Birthday, Happy New Year, happy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/why-not-take-a-few-pounds-of-happys-advised-the-salesman-they-re-much/) [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) > [...it's not just learning that's important. It's learning what to do with what you learn and learning why you learn things that matters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/it-s-not-just-learning-that-s-important-it-s-learning-what-to-do-with/) [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) > [Sometimes I find the best way of getting from one place to another is simply to erase everything and begin again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/sometimes-i-find-the-best-way-of-getting-from-one-place-to-another-is/) [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) > [Have you ever heard the wonderful silence just before the dawn? Or the quiet and calm just as a storm ends? Or perhaps you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/have-you-ever-heard-the-wonderful-silence-just-before-the-dawn-or-the/) [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) > [How can you see something that isn't there?" yawned the Humbug, who wasn't fully awake yet. "Sometimes, it's much simpler than seeing things that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/how-can-you-see-something-that-isn-t-there-yawned-the-humbug-who-wasn/) [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) > [“I wonder where I am," said Milo in a very worried tone. 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Is it really that you're afraid of what's going to happen if you don't take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-eisenstein/what-makes-you-care-about-nature-about-the-planet-is-it-really-that/) [Charles Eisenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-eisenstein/) > [You feed yourself. Make sure you have all the information, whether it's aesthetic, scientific, mathematical, I don't care what it is. Then you walk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/you-feed-yourself-make-sure-you-have-all-the-information-whether-it-s/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [When you're in your twenties and starting out, the problem is that you care about being cool. 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