Activity Quote by Mary McCarthy
“Our language, once homely and colloquial, seeks to aggrandize our meanest activities with polysyllabic terms or it retreats from frankness into a stammering verbosity.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: The Group, 1963
Language can become pretentious, using complex words to mask simple ideas, or overly verbose, losing clarity.
In simple terms: Language can become pretentious or overly verbose.
Prefer clear, honest expression.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- writing
- public speaking
- daily conversation
- teaching
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How does word choice affect truth?
- When is complex language justified?
Clarity may be sacrificed for style.