M. Jourdain. Oh, no, not verse.
Professor of Philosophy. You only wish for prose?
M. Jourdain. No, I wish neither verse nor prose.
Professor of Philosophy. It must be one or the other.
M. Jourdain. Why?
Professor of Philosophy. Because, sir, there is nothing by which we can express ourselves except prose or verse.
M. Jourdain. There is nothing but prose or verse?
Professor of Philosophy. No, sir. Whatever is not prose is verse, and whatever is not verse is prose.
M. Jourdain. And when we speak, what is that, then?
Professor of Philosophy. Prose.