If this constant sliding and hiding of meaning were true…
““If this constant sliding and hiding of meaning were true of conscious life, then we would of course never be able to speak coherently at all. If the whole of language were present to me when I spoke, then I would not be able to articulate anything at all. The ego, or consciousness, can therefore only work by repressing this turbulent activity, provisionally nailing down words on to meanings. Every now and then a word from the unconscious which I do not want insinuates itself into my discourse, and this is the famous Freudian slip of the tongue or parapraxis. But for Lacan all our discourse is in a sense a slip of the tongue: if the process of language is as slippery and ambiguous as he suggests, we can never mean precisely what we say and never say precisely what we mean. Meaning is always in some sense an approximation, a near-miss, a part-failure, mixing non-sense and non-communication into sense and dialogue.””
About This Quote
Source Book: Literary Theory: An Introduction, 1983
Language is inherently slippery; meaning is always an approximation, never fully precise.
In simple terms: Words are imperfect, meaning is never exact.
Key Takeaway
Accept ambiguity, seek clarity.
Themes
language
meaning
ambiguity
psychoanalysis
Mood
analytical
thoughtful
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- academic writing
- therapy sessions
- creative storytelling
- public speaking
- personal reflection
Key Concepts
Lacanian theory
Freudian slip
semantic approximation
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you navigate miscommunication?
- Can you accept uncertainty in meaning?
A Different Perspective
Exact meaning may be unattainable, causing frustration.