Skip to content

To be quite candid — and what I am going to say now is…

“To be quite candid — and what I am going to say now is something I have never said before, and I hope that it provokes a salutary chill — I know more than I can express in words, and the little I can express would not have been expressed, had I not known more.” quote by Vladimir Nabokov
Download Open image
““To be quite candid — and what I am going to say now is something I have never said before, and I hope that it provokes a salutary chill — I know more than I can express in words, and the little I can express would not have been expressed, had I not known more.””

Vladimir Nabokov

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The speaker acknowledges an excess of knowledge that exceeds expressive capacity, suggesting that true understanding often remains unsaid.

In simple terms: Knowing more than words can convey; some truths stay unspoken.

Key Takeaway

Accept limits of language, value silence.

Themes

knowledge expression silence humility

Mood

thoughtful introspective

Type

literary philosophical

When to use this quote

  • academic writing
  • personal journaling
  • teaching
  • public speaking

Key Concepts

Epistemology communication self-awareness

Questions to Reflect On

  • What truths are you holding back?
  • How can you convey complex ideas simply?
A Different Perspective

Silence may hinder sharing valuable insights.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet

More by Vladimir Nabokov

Explore all 883 Vladimir Nabokov quotes

More Answers quotes

Browse all 7,843 Answers quotes