unsayably

English

Etymology

From unsayable +‎ -ly.

Adverb

unsayably (comparative more unsayably, superlative most unsayably)

1. (philosophy, rare) In a manner which is inexpressible or is not describable.
   • 1999, Marie McGinn, “Between Metaphysics and Nonsense: Elucidation in Wittgenstein's Tractatus”, in The Philosophical Quarterly, volume 49, number 197, page 493:

     The aim of TLP is not get us to recognize something that is unsayably true of reality, but rather to cure us of any attempt to represent to ourselves something about reality that cannot be said.

   • 2003, Peter Halward, “The one or the other: French philosophy today”, in Angelaki, volume 8, number 2, page 13:

     It is only because we can embrace imperatives that cohere with a force beyond being and beyond the world that we can, exceptionally, act as absolutely and "unsayably" free.

2. (rare) In a manner which is not permitted or is inappropriate for expression.
   • 2006 March 6, Jean Seaton, "The talking cure" (review of Voices of the New Arab Public by Marc Lynch), New Statesman, p. 54:

     Although Lynch fails to examine what is unsayably taboo in the Arab forum, he does show how few programmes feature the environment, unemployment, health, child abuse or anything else that affects everyday life—except politics.

Related terms

• unsayable