--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We lisp in numbers, in the U.S. We are…" description: "\"We lisp in numbers, in the U.S. We are deluged by ample, often mysterious statistics. ... Like many in this country, I have come to regard statistics w..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/884/martha-gellhorn-8061_country_we-lisp-in-numbers-in-the-u-s-we-are-del_2855537.jpg" --- # We lisp in numbers, in the U.S. We are deluged by ample… ![“We lisp in numbers, in the U.S. We are deluged by ample, often mysterious statistics. ... Like many in this country, I have come to regard statistics with doubt and merely as a hint of the probable shape of fact.” quote by Martha Gellhorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/884/martha-gellhorn-8061_country_we-lisp-in-numbers-in-the-u-s-we-are-del_2855537.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/884/martha-gellhorn-8061_country_we-lisp-in-numbers-in-the-u-s-we-are-del_2855537.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/884/martha-gellhorn-8061_country_we-lisp-in-numbers-in-the-u-s-we-are-del_2855537.jpg) > “We lisp in numbers, in the U.S. We are deluged by ample, often mysterious statistics. ... Like many in this country, I have come to regard statistics with doubt and merely as a hint of the probable shape of fact.” [Martha Gellhorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-gellhorn/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The author expresses skepticism toward statistics, viewing them as limited hints rather than definitive truths. **In simple terms:** Statistics are uncertain clues. Key Takeaway Treat data cautiously. Themes statistics skepticism truth Mood analytical skeptical Type philosophical critical When to use this quote - policy analysis - research evaluation - public discourse Key Concepts critical thinking media literacy Questions to Reflect On - How do you verify statistical claims? - When should intuition outweigh data? A Different Perspective Overreliance on stats can mislead decisions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Data](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/data/) [Doubt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doubt/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Mysterious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mysterious/) [Shapes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shapes/) [Statistics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/statistics/) ## Related quotes > [I lisp'd in numbers, for the numbers came.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pope/i-lisp-d-in-numbers-for-the-numbers-came/) [Alexander Pope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pope/) > [To ask me to verify my life by giving you my statistics is like using science to validate sorcery. It robs the world of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-castaneda/to-ask-me-to-verify-my-life-by-giving-you-my-statistics-is-like-using/) [Carlos Castaneda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-castaneda/) > [“Statistics are like bikinis. What they reveal is suggestive, but what they conceal is vital.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-levenstein/statistics-are-like-bikinis-what-they-reveal-is-suggestive-but-what/) Aaron Levenstein > [“Getting too deeply into statistics is like trying to quench a thirst with salty water. The angst of facing mortality has no remedy in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kalanithi/getting-too-deeply-into-statistics-is-like-trying-to-quench-a-thirst/) [Paul Kalanithi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kalanithi/) > [Baseball statistics are like a girl in a bikini. They show a lot, but not everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toby-harrah/baseball-statistics-are-like-a-girl-in-a-bikini-they-show-a-lot-but/) Toby Harrah > [Statistics are like a bikini. What they reveal is suggestive, but what they conceal is vital.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-levenstein/statistics-are-like-a-bikini-what-they-reveal-is-suggestive-but-what/) Aaron Levenstein > [Statistics are like miniskirts, they reveal more than what they hide.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/navjot-singh-sidhu/statistics-are-like-miniskirts-they-reveal-more-than-what-they-hide/) [Navjot Singh Sidhu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/navjot-singh-sidhu/) > [Statistics are like miniskirts: They give you good ideas but hide the important things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ebbe-skovdahl/statistics-are-like-miniskirts-they-give-you-good-ideas-but-hide-the/) Ebbe Skovdahl > [“Learn to write. Never mind the damn statistics. If you like statistics, become a CPA.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-tiwari/learn-to-write-never-mind-the-damn-statistics-if-you-like-statistics/) Amit Tiwari > [Statistics are like women; mirrors of purest virtue and truth, or like whores to use as one pleases.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodor-billroth/statistics-are-like-women-mirrors-of-purest-virtue-and-truth-or-like/) Theodor Billroth > [Statistics are like bikinis-they show a lot but not everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-piniella/statistics-are-like-bikinis-they-show-a-lot-but-not-everything/) [Lou Piniella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-piniella/) > [“Getting too deeply into statistics is like trying to quench a thirst with salty water.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kalanithi/getting-too-deeply-into-statistics-is-like-trying-to-quench-a-thirst-2/) [Paul Kalanithi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kalanithi/) > [I find it cruel that the word lisp has an s in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/i-find-it-cruel-that-the-word-lisp-has-an-s-in-it/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [LISP programmers know the value of everything and the cost of nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-perlis/lisp-programmers-know-the-value-of-everything-and-the-cost-of-nothing/) [Alan Perlis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-perlis/) > [Take Lisp, you know its the most beautiful language in the world -- at least up until Haskell came along.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/take-lisp-you-know-its-the-most-beautiful-language-in-the-world-at/) [Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/) ## More by Martha Gellhorn > [Nothing is better for self-esteem than survival.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-gellhorn/nothing-is-better-for-self-esteem-than-survival/) [Martha Gellhorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-gellhorn/) > [All politicians are bores and liars and fakes. 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Much better to remember about eternal vigilance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-gellhorn/once-you-get-a-tyranny-you-don-t-easily-get-rid-of-it-much-better-to/) [Martha Gellhorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-gellhorn/) > [In the last camp they all ate grass, until the authorities forbade them to pull it up. 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It's made up of immigrants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bria-vinaite/that-s-what-this-country-is-it-s-made-up-of-immigrants/) [Bria Vinaite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bria-vinaite/) > [You, of Canada, are building a magnificent record of achievement. My country rejoices in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/you-of-canada-are-building-a-magnificent-record-of-achievement-my/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [The United States cannot and should not discriminate on the basis of religion. 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