--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Although 'to paint' means something like…" description: "\"“Although 'to paint' means something like \"to cause to be covered with paint,\" one does not 'paint a brush' when one dips it in the can, and it is hard..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/499/steven-pinker-526_painting_although-to-paint-means-something-like-t_2010697.jpg" --- # Although 'to paint' means something like "to cause to be… ![“Although 'to paint' means something like "to cause to be covered with paint," one does not 'paint a brush' when one dips it in the can, and it is hard to say with a straight face that "Michelangelo painted the ceiling" when he caused the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel to be covered with paint.” quote by Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/499/steven-pinker-526_painting_although-to-paint-means-something-like-t_2010697.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/499/steven-pinker-526_painting_although-to-paint-means-something-like-t_2010697.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/499/steven-pinker-526_painting_although-to-paint-means-something-like-t_2010697.jpg) > ““Although 'to paint' means something like "to cause to be covered with paint," one does not 'paint a brush' when one dips it in the can, and it is hard to say with a straight face that "Michelangelo painted the ceiling" when he caused the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel to be covered with paint.”” [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. Language often uses metaphorical extensions that can mislead literal interpretation of actions. **In simple terms:** Words can misrepresent actual actions. Key Takeaway Clarify meaning beyond literal phrasing. Themes language semantics metaphor interpretation Mood thoughtful analytical Type explanatory educational When to use this quote - teaching - writing - translation - legal contracts Key Concepts cognitive linguistics semantic drift Questions to Reflect On - How do you ensure clarity when using figurative language? - When does metaphor become a barrier? A Different Perspective Literal readings may cause confusion in technical contexts. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Does Paint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/does-paint-2688779/) [Paint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paint/) [Paint Does](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paint-does-3590132/) [Paint Means](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paint-means-1895395/) [Painted Ceiling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/painted-ceiling-3590131/) [Painting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/painting/) [Sistine chapel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sistine-chapel/) [Straight face](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/straight-face/) ## Related quotes > [Sometimes I seem to be two people. One who does not paint and one who does. The one who does not paint assumes that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-pratt/sometimes-i-seem-to-be-two-people-one-who-does-not-paint-and-one-who/) [Mary Pratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-pratt/) > [“I paint as a means to make life bearable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-goh/i-paint-as-a-means-to-make-life-bearable/) [Van Goh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-goh/) > [If you hear a voice within you say 'you cannot paint,' then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/if-you-hear-a-voice-within-you-say-you-cannot-paint-then-by-all-means/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [If you hear a voice within you say you can not paint, then by all means paint and that voice will be silenced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/if-you-hear-a-voice-within-you-say-you-can-not-paint-then-by-all/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) > [The great painter has something to say. 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I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-lennon/i-don-t-really-believe-in-political-art-i-feel-in-my-heart-the/) [Sean Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-lennon/) > [“You ever seen that painting on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in Rome, where God’s reaching out and touching the finger of an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chance-carter/you-ever-seen-that-painting-on-the-ceiling-of-the-sistine-chapel-in/) [Chance Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chance-carter/) ## 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. 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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 Artist quotes > [One is a painter because one wants so-called freedom; one doesn't want to go to the office every morning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-duchamp/one-is-a-painter-because-one-wants-so-called-freedom-one-doesn-t-want/) [Marcel Duchamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-duchamp/) > [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [I think most artists feel like they're outside society - no matter how many accolades they receive, or how much money is in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-think-most-artists-feel-like-they-re-outside-society-no-matter-how/) [Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/) > [“People in coats and ties were milling around the Talley gallery, and on the wall were the minimally rendered still lifes by Giorgio Morandi,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/people-in-coats-and-ties-were-milling-around-the-talley-gallery-and/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [The prophet who fails to present a bearable alternative and yet preaches doom is part of the trap that he postulates. Not only does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/the-prophet-who-fails-to-present-a-bearable-alternative-and-yet/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [“So, really," continued Jacob as if this were perfectly normal to expound on art in these circumstances, "when you think about it, the artists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justina-chen-headley/so-really-continued-jacob-as-if-this-were-perfectly-normal-to-expound/) [Justina Chen Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justina-chen-headley/) > [“There are two options in art; either to adopt philosophical life by dissecting art, or to write your own philosophical life and claim it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taf-teh/there-are-two-options-in-art-either-to-adopt-philosophical-life-by/) [Taf Teh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taf-teh/) > [From as long as I can remember, I was always fond of drawing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-lucia/from-as-long-as-i-can-remember-i-was-always-fond-of-drawing/) [St. Lucia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-lucia/) > [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. 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