"Words differently arranged have a different meaning, and meanings differently arranged have different effects"
- Blaise Pascal
About this Quote
This quote by Blaise Pascal talks to the power of language and how it can be utilized to develop different meanings and effects. He is recommending that the way words are arranged can have a considerable influence on the meaning of a sentence, and that the exact same words can be used to develop different effects. For example, a sentence like "I enjoy you" can have an extremely different meaning and impact when it is said in a genuine and caring method, compared to when it is stated in an ironical or mocking method. Likewise, the exact same words can be used to develop different results depending on the order in which they are organized. For instance, the phrase "I like you" can have a very different effect when it is stated first, compared to when it is stated last.
Pascal's quote is a suggestion of the value of language and how it can be used to develop different significances and impacts. It is a reminder that the way words are organized can have a substantial impact on the significance and result of a sentence, and that the same words can be used to develop different impacts depending upon the order in which they are set up.
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