Communication Quote by Edgar Dale
“No-one can say just how long a message should be, but you rarely hear complaints about a speech being too short. The amateur worries about what he is going to put into his speech. The expert worries about what he should take out. An artisitic performance is concentrated, has a central focus.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Psychology of Written Communication, 1946
Effective communication values conciseness; experts trim excess to keep focus, while novices over‑fill.
In simple terms: Good speech is concise and focused.
Key Takeaway
Trim unnecessary content.
Themes
communication
conciseness
focus
Mood
reflective
analytical
Type
advice
instructional
When to use this quote
- public speaking
- academic presentations
- business pitches
- teaching lectures
Key Concepts
editing
audience perception
information density
Questions to Reflect On
- What can you remove without losing meaning?
- How does brevity affect audience engagement?
A Different Perspective
Over‑editing may strip essential nuance.
