'Great-grandfather died under strange circumstances. He opened a vein in his bath.' 'I never knew baths had veins,' protested Gabrilowitsch.' 'I never knew his great-grandfather had a ba-' began Falcovsky derisively.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Confusion over literal and figurative language leads to absurdity.
- In plain terms
- People argue about words literally instead of meaning.
- What can you take from it?
- Literal thinking causes confusion.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Why do people argue about words?
- When does language break down?
Another view
Literal interpretation is often necessary for precision.
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