When I use a word,' Humpty Dumpty said in a rather scornful tone, 'it means just what I choose it to mean - neither more nor less.
In this quote from Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking-Glass, Humpty Dumpty asserts that the meaning of a word is entirely subjective and at his discretion. He dismisses the idea that words have fixed or universal definitions, suggesting instead that their significance depends on individual interpretation.
Humpty Dumpty's statement highlights the playful and sometimes paradoxical nature of language, where meanings can be flexible and influenced by personal perspective. It reflects themes in the story about the arbitrary and fluid nature of words and communication.
