Quote by Ambrose Bierce

BELLADONNA, n. In Italian a beautiful lady; in English a deadly poison. A striking example of the essential identity of the two tongues.

BELLADONNA, n. In Italian a beautiful lady; in English a dea

Summary

This quote humorously highlights the linguistic contradiction between the Italian and English meanings of "belladonna," which refers to a beautiful lady in Italian and a deadly poison in English. The quote suggests that this contrast demonstrates the inherent similarity between the two languages, as it exemplifies the irony of a word having opposite meanings. It points out that words can possess multiple interpretations depending on the cultural context in which they are used.

Topics

Beauty Humor Funny Poison Languages

By Ambrose Bierce

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