--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Clarity in language depends on clarity in…" description: "\"Clarity in language depends on clarity in thought.\" — Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/08b/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr-14015_clarity_clarity-in-language-depends-on-clarity-i_1580973.png" --- # Clarity in language depends on clarity in thought. ![“Clarity in language depends on clarity in thought.” quote by Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/08b/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr-14015_clarity_clarity-in-language-depends-on-clarity-i_1580973.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/08b/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr-14015_clarity_clarity-in-language-depends-on-clarity-i_1580973.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/08b/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr-14015_clarity_clarity-in-language-depends-on-clarity-i_1580973.png) > “Clarity in language depends on clarity in thought.” [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Clear thinking produces clear expression; muddled ideas lead to vague language. **In simple terms:** Clear thought yields clear speech. Key Takeaway Clarify your ideas before speaking. Themes communication clarity thought Mood thoughtful analytical Type educational inspirational When to use this quote - writing - public speaking - teaching - debate Key Concepts cognitive psychology philosophy of language Questions to Reflect On - How can you test whether your ideas are clear? - What habits improve mental clarity? A Different Perspective If thoughts are unclear, language will still be ambiguous. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Clarity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clarity/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Philosophy of Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy-of-mind/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [Clarity of language is the first casualty of authoritarianism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-morgan/clarity-of-language-is-the-first-casualty-of-authoritarianism/) [Robin Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-morgan/) > [“The speed of your buying depends on the clarity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harjeet-khanduja/the-speed-of-your-buying-depends-on-the-clarity/) [Harjeet Khanduja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harjeet-khanduja/) > [There is one solution to all of our problems: Teaching our kids clarity of thought and political representation in democracy. That's it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dreyfuss/there-is-one-solution-to-all-of-our-problems-teaching-our-kids/) [Richard Dreyfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dreyfuss/) > [I don't know how you feel, but I feel like writing, clarity of thought, and truth have been validated because we see what happens…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/i-don-t-know-how-you-feel-but-i-feel-like-writing-clarity-of-thought/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [“A clearheaded man might think that his body is telling him something. But clarity of thought is not something with which I have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ellis/a-clearheaded-man-might-think-that-his-body-is-telling-him-something/) David Ellis > [If the director has clarity of thought and vision, you are bound to just go ahead and do what he wants to do. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manoj-bajpayee/if-the-director-has-clarity-of-thought-and-vision-you-are-bound-to/) [Manoj Bajpayee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manoj-bajpayee/) > [You're water. We're the millstone. You're wind. We're dust blown up into shapes. You're spirit. We're the opening and closing of our hands. You're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-re-water-we-re-the-millstone-you-re-wind-we-re-dust-blown-up-into/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [They place great stress on the clarity of our language for expressing nuances and showing subtleties.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-pivot/they-place-great-stress-on-the-clarity-of-our-language-for-expressing/) [Bernard Pivot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-pivot/) > [It was just as the 1914 War burst on me that I made the discovery that 'legends' depend on the language to which they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/it-was-just-as-the-1914-war-burst-on-me-that-i-made-the-discovery-2/) [J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/) > [See it all. See it fairly. Be truthful, be sensible and be careful with language. When nothing depends on man, everything depends on him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-grunwald/see-it-all-see-it-fairly-be-truthful-be-sensible-and-be-careful-with/) [Henry Grunwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-grunwald/) > [The Gaelic language itself depends very much on ear and rhythm, and when those who are thinking in Gaelic speak in English, they get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lady-gregory/the-gaelic-language-itself-depends-very-much-on-ear-and-rhythm-and/) [Lady Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lady-gregory/) > [“It was just as the 1914 War burst on me that I made the discovery that "legends" depend on the language to which they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien/it-was-just-as-the-1914-war-burst-on-me-that-i-made-the-discovery/) [J.R.R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien/) > [Mechanical rules are never a substitute for clarity of thought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-kernighan/mechanical-rules-are-never-a-substitute-for-clarity-of-thought/) [Brian Kernighan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-kernighan/) > [“Maintain an unadulterated clarity of thought.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-redhead/maintain-an-unadulterated-clarity-of-thought/) [Steven Redhead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-redhead/) > [Maybe where there's clarity of air, there's clarity of thought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chet-huntley/maybe-where-there-s-clarity-of-air-there-s-clarity-of-thought/) [Chet Huntley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chet-huntley/) ## More by Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr > [I don't think I have made as much of my life as I should have. I should have written more books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/i-don-t-think-i-have-made-as-much-of-my-life-as-i-should-have-i/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) > [History is full of surprises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/history-is-full-of-surprises/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) > [The genius of impeachment lay in the fact that it could punish the man without punishing the office.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/the-genius-of-impeachment-lay-in-the-fact-that-it-could-punish-the/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) > [Every President reconstructs the Presidency to meet his own psychological needs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/every-president-reconstructs-the-presidency-to-meet-his-own/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) > [The only President who clearly died of overwork was Polk, and that was a long time ago. Hoover, who worked intensely and humorlessly as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/the-only-president-who-clearly-died-of-overwork-was-polk-and-that-was/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) > [Righteousness is easy in retrospect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/righteousness-is-easy-in-retrospect/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) > [The first rule of democracy is to distrust all leaders who begin to believe their own publicity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/the-first-rule-of-democracy-is-to-distrust-all-leaders-who-begin-to/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) > [Few secret undertakings ever did any nation any good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/few-secret-undertakings-ever-did-any-nation-any-good/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) > [In Defense of the World Order . . . U.S. soldiers would have to kill and die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/in-defense-of-the-world-order-u-s-soldiers-would-have-to-kill-and-die/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) > [In view of the tide of religiosity engulfing a once secular republic it is refreshing to be reminded by Freethinkers that free thought and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/in-view-of-the-tide-of-religiosity-engulfing-a-once-secular-republic/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) > [There is no more dangerous thing for a democracy than a foreign policy based on presidential preventive war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/there-is-no-more-dangerous-thing-for-a-democracy-than-a-foreign/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) > [If we are to survive, we must have ideas, vision, and courage. These things are rarely produced by committees. Everything that matters in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/if-we-are-to-survive-we-must-have-ideas-vision-and-courage-these/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) > [The military struggle may frankly be regarded for what it actually was, namely a war for independence, an armed attempt to imposethe views of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/the-military-struggle-may-frankly-be-regarded-for-what-it-actually/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) > [Those who are convinced they have a monopoly on The Truth always feel that they are only saving the world when they slaughter the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/those-who-are-convinced-they-have-a-monopoly-on-the-truth-always-feel/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) > [There is far less to the Presidency, in terms of essential activity, than meets the eye.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/there-is-far-less-to-the-presidency-in-terms-of-essential-activity/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) [Explore all 48 Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) ## More Clarity quotes > [Why is wisdom so fair? Why is beauty so wise? Because all else is temporary, while beauty and wisdom are the only real and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-nazarian/why-is-wisdom-so-fair-why-is-beauty-so-wise-because-all-else-is/) [Vera Nazarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-nazarian/) > [Its a lack of clarity that creates chaos and frustration. Those emotions are poison to any living goal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-maraboli/its-a-lack-of-clarity-that-creates-chaos-and-frustration-those/) [Steve Maraboli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-maraboli/) > [Anything well written with good language and clarity and honesty is worth doing. It comes out of the same tradition as Shakespeare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moriarty/anything-well-written-with-good-language-and-clarity-and-honesty-is/) [Michael Moriarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moriarty/) > [“Writers whose thoughts are expressed with clarity and precision are assumed by readers to be superficial. Where the meaning is obscured, then readers give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/writers-whose-thoughts-are-expressed-with-clarity-and-precision-are/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [It comes a moment that someone says something really small, but fits so perfect into your heart that everything start to make sense!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laylablack/it-comes-a-moment-that-someone-says-something-really-small-but-fits/) Laylablack > [“Replaying the past in your mind won't change the present; it only steals the clarity needed to shape what comes next.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-meyering-sr/replaying-the-past-in-your-mind-won-t-change-the-present-it-only/) Joseph Meyering Sr > [Rain is good for me. I feel like I achieve clarity actually when it rains. The longer I have to sit and wait, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/venus-williams/rain-is-good-for-me-i-feel-like-i-achieve-clarity-actually-when-it/) [Venus Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/venus-williams/) > [It's my feeling that any writer can get an emotion into a story without being sentimental as long as the emotion is dealt with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-baxter/it-s-my-feeling-that-any-writer-can-get-an-emotion-into-a-story/) [Charles Baxter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-baxter/) > [President Obama has never summarized the Obama Doctrine with such clarity, but here is what it would look like: 'I will undertake any military…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/president-obama-has-never-summarized-the-obama-doctrine-with-such/) [Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) > [The law of polarity brings forth clarity to your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-mercado/the-law-of-polarity-brings-forth-clarity-to-your-life/) [Joseph Mercado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-mercado/) > [In meditation you withdraw from others and focus your attention inside to gain purity of mind and wisdom energy. Then you must become extroverted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-n-goenka/in-meditation-you-withdraw-from-others-and-focus-your-attention/) [S. N. Goenka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-n-goenka/) > [In stillness the muddied water returns to clarity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/in-stillness-the-muddied-water-returns-to-clarity/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [I think clarity is the real risk in poetry because you are exposed. You're out in the open field. You're actually saying things that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-collins/i-think-clarity-is-the-real-risk-in-poetry-because-you-are-exposed/) [Billy Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-collins/) > [I decided to be a filmmaker when I was 12. I had utter clarity that this would be my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hooper/i-decided-to-be-a-filmmaker-when-i-was-12-i-had-utter-clarity-that/) [Tom Hooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hooper/) > [The translucence that comes when life hardens into a bead of such cruel perfection you see it with the purest clarity. Everything suddenly there--life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-monk-kidd/the-translucence-that-comes-when-life-hardens-into-a-bead-of-such/) [Sue Monk Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-monk-kidd/) [Browse all 1,601 Clarity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clarity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Clarity in language depends on clarity in thought.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Arthur M. 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