Circulation Quote by Paul Valery
“You have certainly observed the curious fact that a given word which is perfectly clear when you hear it or use it in everyday language, and which does not give rise to any difficulty when it is engaged in the rapid movement of an ordinary sentence becomes magically embarrassing, introduces a strange resistance, frustrates any effort at definition as soon as you take it out of circulation to examine it separately and look for its meaning after taking away its instantaneous function.”
About This Quote
The quote describes how words lose clarity when isolated from context, becoming awkward and resistant to definition.
In simple terms: Words become confusing when taken out of context.
Key Takeaway
Consider context when defining terms.
Themes
language
semantics
context
communication
definition
cognitive bias
Mood
analytical
introspective
philosophical
Type
language
definition
context
When to use this quote
- writing
- teaching
- analysis
- critical thinking
Key Concepts
linguistics
philosophy
psychology
Questions to Reflect On
- How does context shape meaning?
- When does a word become ambiguous?
A Different Perspective
Contextual meaning can be subjective.
![“It was at Harvard not quite forty years ago that I went into an anechoic [totally silent] chamber not expecting in that silent room to hear two sounds: one high, my nervous system in operation, one low, my blood in circulation. The reason I did not expect to hear those two sounds was that they…” quote by John Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/153/john-cage-2094_blood_it-was-at-harvard-not-quite-forty-years_56114.jpg)
