Thursday, February 21, 2008

Alice in Wonderland quotes

We were discussing the meaning of "architecture", "framework" and "model", and a quote from Alice in Wonderland was brought up. A quick search reveals perhaps we were bringing up two different quotes, each relevant to the conversation in a slightly different way...

The quote I think I meant:

`When _I_ use a word,' Humpty Dumpty said in rather a scornful tone, `it means just what I choose it to mean -- neither more nor less.'

`The question is,' said Alice, `whether you CAN make words mean so many different things.'

`The question is,' said Humpty Dumpty, `which is to be master - - that's all.'

The quote I think Len meant:

`Then you should say what you mean,' the March Hare went on.

`I do,' Alice hastily replied; `at least--at least I mean what I say--that's the same thing, you know.'

`Not the same thing a bit!' said the Hatter. `You might just as well say that "I see what I eat" is the same thing as "I eat what I see"!'

`You might just as well say,' added the March Hare, `that "I like what I get" is the same thing as "I get what I like"!'

`You might just as well say,' added the Dormouse, who seemed to be talking in his sleep, `that "I breathe when I sleep" is the same thing as "I sleep when I breathe"!'

1 comment:

Liming said...

the related dilbert comic I mentioned:
http://www.unitedmedia.com/comics/dilbert/archive/dilbert-20080217.html