Rem tene, verba sequentur: grasp the subject, and the words will follow. This, I believe, is the opposite of what happens with poetry, which is more a case of verba tene, res sequenter: grasp the words, and the subject will follow.

Umberto Eco
About This Quote

Rem tene, verba sequentur is an adage that says that “words follow the subject.” The meaning of this phrase is that the quality of what you say or write is more important than the words you use to say it. This adage has been around for nearly 2,000 years and is usually used in conversation between well-educated people. It means that the meaning of your writing will be more effective than the words you use to write it.

Source: Postscript To The Name Of The Rose

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