what does this expression mean?

Question

for great many readers of history the question ,why do we read history? lies either in the back of the mind or at the tip of the tongue..

what does lies at the back of the mind or at the tip of tongue mean?? please help

Answer 1

Although they sound sort of like opposites, they both indicate that the person cannot immediately access his/her view on the subject.

"Back of the mind" generally refers to something you have stored in memory, but that you are not currently aware of. It's far from a point of you're being able to recall and express that memory (hence, at the "back" of the mind).

"Tip of the tongue" generally refers to knowing something that you cannot immediately remember but you are very close to remembering ("it's on the tip of my tongue," that is, it's almost out of my mouth).

So what the writer is saying is, we know why we should read history, but when asked, we generally cannot state why. Perhaps we're far from remembering, perhaps we're just about to remember why - either way, we don't remember immediately.

Answer 2

Something at the back of the mind means it's hidden in our subconscious and on the tip of the tongue means you know the answer or think you do, but can't come up with it at the moment. So the expression means that a great many readers of history can't say why they read history.

Answer 3

They are both what are called idioms. In the back of the mind refers to being deep in your memory and at the tip of the tongue means feeling that you know something but can't immediately remember it.

Answer 4

At the back of the mind means that it is buried in the depths of the memory, and can't be recalled immediately.
On the tip of the tongue means that you know it, and can't quite remember it. Hope this helps.

Answer 5

"Back of the mind" means a feeling that you can't quite put into words.

"Tip of the tongue" means you know that you know the answer, but you can't quite think of it.