--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A word is an arbitrary label - that's the…" description: "\"A word is an arbitrary label - that's the foundation of linguistics. But many people think otherwise. They believe in word magic: that uttering a spell..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a72/steven-pinker-526_arbitrary_a-word-is-an-arbitrary-label-that-s-the_415878.jpg" --- # A word is an arbitrary label - that's the foundation of… ![“A word is an arbitrary label - that's the foundation of linguistics. But many people think otherwise. They believe in word magic: that uttering a spell, incantation, curse, or prayer can change the world. Don't snicker: Would you ever say, 'Nothing has gone wrong yet' without looking for wood to…” quote by Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a72/steven-pinker-526_arbitrary_a-word-is-an-arbitrary-label-that-s-the_415878.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a72/steven-pinker-526_arbitrary_a-word-is-an-arbitrary-label-that-s-the_415878.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a72/steven-pinker-526_arbitrary_a-word-is-an-arbitrary-label-that-s-the_415878.jpg) > “A word is an arbitrary label - that's the foundation of linguistics. But many people think otherwise. They believe in word magic: that uttering a spell, incantation, curse, or prayer can change the world. Don't snicker: Would you ever say, 'Nothing has gone wrong yet' without looking for wood to knock?” [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) ## 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 symbols we assign to concepts; believing they have inherent power is a misconception. **In simple terms:** Words are labels, not magical forces. Key Takeaway Question language as tools, not spells. Themes linguistics semantics belief criticism Mood analytical skeptical Type philosophical critical When to use this quote - Everyday conversation - legal contracts - rituals - marketing slogans Key Concepts Symbolic representation social construction cognitive bias Questions to Reflect On - Do you rely on specific words to shape outcomes? - How does labeling affect your thinking? A Different Perspective Words can influence perception, but cannot directly alter reality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Change the world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change-the-world/) [Changing the world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/changing-the-world/) [Curse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/curse/) [Labels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/labels/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Linguistics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/linguistics/) [Magic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/magic/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Prayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prayer/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Woods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/woods/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [“ANNALS OF LANGUAGE WORD MAGIC How much really gets lost in translation? BY ADAM GOPNIK Once, in a restaurant in Italy with my family,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/annals-of-language-word-magic-how-much-really-gets-lost-in/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Genius is another word for magic, and the whole point of magic is that it is inexplicable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margot-fonteyn/genius-is-another-word-for-magic-and-the-whole-point-of-magic-is-that/) [Margot Fonteyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margot-fonteyn/) > [Genius is another word for magic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margot-fonteyn/genius-is-another-word-for-magic/) [Margot Fonteyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margot-fonteyn/) > [“I remember thinking, sixth grade. We're going to be sixth graders. And Mr. Terupt is going to be my teacher. Our teacher. I thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-buyea/i-remember-thinking-sixth-grade-we-re-going-to-be-sixth-graders-and/) [Rob Buyea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-buyea/) > [There's only one word for that - magic darts!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sid-waddell/there-s-only-one-word-for-that-magic-darts/) [Sid Waddell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sid-waddell/) > [I continue to say that I wish we had another word other than magic. It no longer means what we are doing or we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolores-ashcroft-nowicki/i-continue-to-say-that-i-wish-we-had-another-word-other-than-magic-it/) [Dolores Ashcroft-Nowicki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolores-ashcroft-nowicki/) > [I'm surprised you don't know more about magic, Sister Verna. There is a word that is magic. It can accomplish more than you might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/i-m-surprised-you-don-t-know-more-about-magic-sister-verna-there-is-a/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) > [DMT seems to argue, convincingly I might add, that the world is made entirely of something, for want of a better word, we would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/dmt-seems-to-argue-convincingly-i-might-add-that-the-world-is-made/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [The belief that words have a meaning of their own account is a relic of primitive word magic, and it is still a part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kay-ogden/the-belief-that-words-have-a-meaning-of-their-own-account-is-a-relic/) Charles Kay Ogden > [The Word is the Magic that Humans possess and misuse of the Word is Black Magic... Be Impeccable with Your Word.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-angel-ruiz/the-word-is-the-magic-that-humans-possess-and-misuse-of-the-word-is/) [Miguel Angel Ruiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-angel-ruiz/) > [“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to compute it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/those-who-cannot-remember-the-past-are-condemned-to-compute-it/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [“As you are reading these words, you are taking part in one of the wonders of the natural world. For you and I belong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/as-you-are-reading-these-words-you-are-taking-part-in-one-of-the/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [I know her in the biblical senseand when I say that, I mean I don't believe a word she says.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-know-her-in-the-biblical-senseand-when-i-say-that-i-mean-i-don-t/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [“We have to believe that the desires we have in our hearts will be fulfilled if we continue to trust and believe in him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chloe-m-gooden/we-have-to-believe-that-the-desires-we-have-in-our-hearts-will-be/) [Chloe M. Gooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chloe-m-gooden/) > [I don't believe in the word 'inspiration', you just have to do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-alsop/i-don-t-believe-in-the-word-inspiration-you-just-have-to-do-it/) Will Alsop ## More by Steven Pinker > [Forcing modern speakers of English to not - whoops, not to split an infinitive because it isn't done in Latin makes about as much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/forcing-modern-speakers-of-english-to-not-whoops-not-to-split-an/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [Consistent style prevents presentation from getting in the way of content.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/consistent-style-prevents-presentation-from-getting-in-the-way-of/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [The supposedly immaterial soul, we now know, can be bisected with a knife, altered by chemicals, started or stopped by electricity, and extinguished by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/the-supposedly-immaterial-soul-we-now-know-can-be-bisected-with-a/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [I've never argued that humans are massively hot-wired. What I was trying to point out was that you can't understand how we learn unless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/i-ve-never-argued-that-humans-are-massively-hot-wired-what-i-was/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [As many political writers have pointed out, commitment to political equality is not an empirical claim that people are clones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/as-many-political-writers-have-pointed-out-commitment-to-political/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [Since violence is largely a male pastime, cultures that empower women tend to move away from the glorification of violence and are less likely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/since-violence-is-largely-a-male-pastime-cultures-that-empower-women/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [When it comes to explaining human thought and behavior, the possibility that heredity plays any role at all still has the power to shock.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/when-it-comes-to-explaining-human-thought-and-behavior-the/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [Morality is not just any old topic in psychology but close to our conception of the meaning of life. Moral goodness is what gives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/morality-is-not-just-any-old-topic-in-psychology-but-close-to-our/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [“The biblical story of the binding of Isaac shows that human sacrifice was far from unthinkable in the 1st millennium BCE. The Israelites boasted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/the-biblical-story-of-the-binding-of-isaac-shows-that-human-sacrifice/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [Part of the bargain of being alive is that one takes a chance at dying a premature or painful death, be it from violence,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/part-of-the-bargain-of-being-alive-is-that-one-takes-a-chance-at/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [In fact, without a specification of a creature's goals, the very idea of intelligence is meaningless. A toadstool could be given a genius award…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/in-fact-without-a-specification-of-a-creature-s-goals-the-very-idea/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [“The obvious cure for the tragic shortcomings of human intuition in a high-tech world is education. And this offers priorities for educational policy: to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/the-obvious-cure-for-the-tragic-shortcomings-of-human-intuition-in-a/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [If you look in general at people who live in anarchy, they have quite high rates of death from either homicide or warfare or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/if-you-look-in-general-at-people-who-live-in-anarchy-they-have-quite/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [“In some eras, self-control defines the paragon of a decent person: a grown-up, a person of dignity, a lady or a gentleman, a mensch.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/in-some-eras-self-control-defines-the-paragon-of-a-decent-person-a/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [Knowledge is a continuous fabric, in which ideas are connected to other ideas. Reason-free zones, in which people can assert arbitrary beliefs safe from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/knowledge-is-a-continuous-fabric-in-which-ideas-are-connected-to/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) [Explore all 495 Steven Pinker quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) ## More Arbitrary quotes > [It is irresponsible to set an arbitrary cap on how much therapy a Medicare beneficiary can receive. It ignores the health needs of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ensign/it-is-irresponsible-to-set-an-arbitrary-cap-on-how-much-therapy-a/) [John Ensign](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ensign/) > [I do think that theater is a great venue for science fiction, and not just adaptations but also original work. I also think some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-einhorn/i-do-think-that-theater-is-a-great-venue-for-science-fiction-and-not/) Edward Einhorn > [To divide one's life by years is of course to tumble into a trap set by our own arithmetic. The calendar consents to carry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clifton-fadiman/to-divide-one-s-life-by-years-is-of-course-to-tumble-into-a-trap-set/) [Clifton Fadiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clifton-fadiman/) > [Not to be offensive, not to be capricious, not to be arbitrary, not to be neurotic, not to be an actor outer, you're just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hurt/not-to-be-offensive-not-to-be-capricious-not-to-be-arbitrary-not-to/) [William Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hurt/) > [I don't concern myself with thinking ahead to the finished product. I focus more specifically on what the character is experiencing. Once you relieve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-eisenberg/i-don-t-concern-myself-with-thinking-ahead-to-the-finished-product-i/) [Jesse Eisenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-eisenberg/) > [Habit is altogether too arbitrary a master for me to submit to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-kaspar-lavater/habit-is-altogether-too-arbitrary-a-master-for-me-to-submit-to/) [Johann Kaspar Lavater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-kaspar-lavater/) > [I look back, now, and I know that the naming moment, which seemed so insignificant then, which seemed to demand no more than an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-david-roberts/i-look-back-now-and-i-know-that-the-naming-moment-which-seemed-so/) [Gregory David Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-david-roberts/) > [Police in China can do whatever they want; after 81 days in arbitrary detention you clearly realise that they don't have to obey their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ai-weiwei/police-in-china-can-do-whatever-they-want-after-81-days-in-arbitrary/) [Ai Weiwei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ai-weiwei/) > [Contrary to what certain governments say, human rights are universal. 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