Badly Quote by Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon
“Those who write as they speak, even though they speak well, write badly.”
About This Quote
Source Treatise: Natural History, 1749
Writing in a colloquial style, even if eloquent, leads to poor prose because it lacks the discipline of formal composition.
In simple terms: Speaking style in writing harms quality.
Aim for clear, structured writing.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- academic papers
- journalistic pieces
- creative writing
- public speeches
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- When is informal language effective?
- How does audience affect style choice?
Casual speech may be appropriate in some contexts.