--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If this constant sliding and hiding of…" description: "\"“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 w..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ac/terry-eagleton-1660_communication_if-this-constant-sliding-and-hiding-of-m_2074252.jpg" --- # 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…” quote by Terry Eagleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ac/terry-eagleton-1660_communication_if-this-constant-sliding-and-hiding-of-m_2074252.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ac/terry-eagleton-1660_communication_if-this-constant-sliding-and-hiding-of-m_2074252.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2ac/terry-eagleton-1660_communication_if-this-constant-sliding-and-hiding-of-m_2074252.jpg) > ““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.”” [Terry Eagleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-eagleton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. 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. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [Consciousness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consciousness/) [Discourse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discourse/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Lacan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lacan/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Meaning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meaning/) [Psychoanalysis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychoanalysis/) ## Related quotes > [“Sometimes if you look a word up in the dictionary, you’ll see some definitions marked as obsolete. 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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. 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