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Jackson6612 Posted 16 years ago
Grammar
"The question is," said Humpty Dumpty, "which is to be master that's all."
"I don't know what you mean by ‘glory,' " Alice said.
Humpty Dumpty smiled contemptuously. "Of course you don't-till I tell you. I meant ‘there's a nice knock-down argument for you!' "
"But ‘glory' doesn't mean ‘a nice knock-down argument'," Alice objected.
"When I use a word," Humpty Dumpty said, in a 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."
Alice was too much puzzled to say anything, so after a minute Humpty Dumpty began again. "They've a temper, some of them-particularly verbs, they're the proudest-adjectives you can do anything with, but not verbs-however, I can manage the whole lot! Impenetrability! That's what I say!"[15]
This passage was used in Britain by Lord Atkin and in his dissenting judgement in the seminal case Liversidge v. Anderson (1942), where he protested about the distortion of a statute by the majority of the House of Lords.[16] It also became a popular citation in United States legal opinions, appearing in 250 judicial decisions in the Westlaw database as of April 19, 2008, including two Supreme Court cases (TVA v. Hill and Zschernig v. Miller).[17]
Context: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humpty_Dumpty#In_Through_the_Looking-Glass
It's a well-constructed passage but I don't see the purpose or reason of quoting it in court cases. I believe Mr Micawber would know this because he also uses the quote from this passage.
Humpty Dumpty smiled contemptuously. "Of course you don't-till I tell you. I meant ‘there's a nice knock-down argument for you!' "
"But ‘glory' doesn't mean ‘a nice knock-down argument'," Alice objected.
"When I use a word," Humpty Dumpty said, in a 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."
Alice was too much puzzled to say anything, so after a minute Humpty Dumpty began again. "They've a temper, some of them-particularly verbs, they're the proudest-adjectives you can do anything with, but not verbs-however, I can manage the whole lot! Impenetrability! That's what I say!"[15]
This passage was used in Britain by Lord Atkin and in his dissenting judgement in the seminal case Liversidge v. Anderson (1942), where he protested about the distortion of a statute by the majority of the House of Lords.[16] It also became a popular citation in United States legal opinions, appearing in 250 judicial decisions in the Westlaw database as of April 19, 2008, including two Supreme Court cases (TVA v. Hill and Zschernig v. Miller).[17]
Context: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humpty_Dumpty#In_Through_the_Looking-Glass
It's a well-constructed passage but I don't see the purpose or reason of quoting it in court cases. I believe Mr Micawber would know this because he also uses the quote from this passage.
Top answer
Evidently, Lord Atkin (and 250 other justices) just quoted it in protest at the distortion of the words in the statute or other legal enactment. It is not a part of any kind of legal evidence; it is merely a graphic comparison.
- Evidently, Lord Atkin (and 250 other justices) just quoted it in protest at the distortion of the words in the statute or other legal enactment.
- It is not a part of any kind of legal evidence; it is merely a graphic comparison.
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3 Answers
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Evidently, Lord Atkin (and 250 other justices) just quoted it in protest at the distortion of the words in the statute or other legal enactment. It is not a part of any kind of legal evidence; it is merely a graphic comparison.
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I think this part captures the essense:
"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."
Dumpty's approach towards meanings of the words is quite flexible like those distortions of the law. They can use a statute to mean what they require. Am I correct in my explan
"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."
Dumpty's approach towards meanings of the words is quite flexible like those distortions of the law. They can use a statute to mean what they require. Am I correct in my explan
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