Quote by Ambrose Bierce
Dictionary, n. A malevolent literary device for cramping the growth of a language and making it hard and inelastic. This dictionary, however, is a most useful work.
Summary
This quote sarcastically criticizes dictionaries as malevolent tools that restrict the growth and flexibility of language. It implies that conventional dictionaries can limit language to rigid definitions and stifle creativity. However, the speaker acknowledges that the dictionary being referred to in this context is actually beneficial and valuable, perhaps implying that it offers a more comprehensive or unconventional approach to language. The quote emphasizes the paradoxical nature of dictionaries, highlighting the tension between their potential constraining effect and their usefulness in aiding communication and understanding.
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