Language Quote by Paul Auster
““Yes. A language that will at last say what we have to say. For our words no longer correspond to the world. When things were whole, we felt confident that our words could express them. But little by little these things have broken apart, shattered, collapsed into chaos. And yet our words have remained the same. Hence, every time we try to speak of what we see, we speak falsely, distorting the very thing we are trying to represent. […] Consider a word that refers to a thing- “ umbrella”, for example. […] Not only is an umbrella a thing, it is a thing that performs a function. […] What happens when a thing no longer performs its function? […] the umbrella ceases to be an umbrella. It has changed into something else. The word, however, has remained the same. Therefore it can no longer express the thing.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The New York Trilogy, 1985
Language loses its ability to match reality as meanings shift, causing miscommunication.
In simple terms: Words can become mismatched to what they describe.
Key Takeaway
Question the adequacy of language.
Themes
language
meaning
communication
philosophy
Mood
reflective
analytical
Type
philosophical
critical
When to use this quote
- literary analysis
- philosophical debate
- writing
- teaching
Key Concepts
semiotics
semantic drift
Questions to Reflect On
- How do we adapt language to changing realities?
- Can new words resolve the mismatch?
A Different Perspective
Words may still convey intent despite mismatches.
