--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: ...today people use as many words as they…" description: "\"“...today people use as many words as they can and think themselves very wise for doing so. For always remember that while it is wrong to use too few, ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c4/norton-juster-2113_language_today-people-use-as-many-words-as-they-c_757262.png" --- # ...today people use as many words as they can and think… ![“...today people use as many words as they can and think themselves very wise for doing so. For always remember that while it is wrong to use too few, it is often far worse to use too many.” quote by Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c4/norton-juster-2113_language_today-people-use-as-many-words-as-they-c_757262.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c4/norton-juster-2113_language_today-people-use-as-many-words-as-they-c_757262.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c4/norton-juster-2113_language_today-people-use-as-many-words-as-they-c_757262.png) > ““...today people use as many words as they can and think themselves very wise for doing so. For always remember that while it is wrong to use too few, it is often far worse to use too many.”” [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote warns against both verbosity and excessive brevity, urging balanced expression for true wisdom. **In simple terms:** Too many or too few words both hinder insight. Key Takeaway Aim for concise, thoughtful speech. Themes communication wisdom balance Mood reflective educational Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - teaching - writing - public speaking Key Concepts rhetoric cognitive load Questions to Reflect On - When is silence more powerful than speech? - How can you practice brevity? A Different Perspective Over‑talking can obscure meaning. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Think Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-wise/) [Use Words](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/use-words/) [Wise Doing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wise-doing-4782317/) [Words](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/words/) [Words Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/words-think/) ## Related quotes > [One is more apt to become wise by doing fool things than by reading wise sayings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-breault/one-is-more-apt-to-become-wise-by-doing-fool-things-than-by-reading/) [Robert Breault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-breault/) > [Criticism is only words about words, and of what use are words about such words as these?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/criticism-is-only-words-about-words-and-of-what-use-are-words-about/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [Good men died for our right to say whatever we want to say and use whatever words we want to use.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fraser-anning/good-men-died-for-our-right-to-say-whatever-we-want-to-say-and-use/) [Fraser Anning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fraser-anning/) > [Words are our servants, not our masters. For different purposes, we find it convenient to use words in different senses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/words-are-our-servants-not-our-masters-for-different-purposes-we-find/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [“Dream more than others think practical. Expect more than others think possible. Care more than others think wise.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-schultz/dream-more-than-others-think-practical-expect-more-than-others-think/) [Howard Schultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-schultz/) > [Think as wise men do, but speak as the common people do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/think-as-wise-men-do-but-speak-as-the-common-people-do/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [I am blind and limited. I would be a fool think myself wise. And so, not knowing what the universe means, I can only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-butcher/i-am-blind-and-limited-i-would-be-a-fool-think-myself-wise-and-so-not/) [Jim Butcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-butcher/) > [Don't you think it's sometimes wise not to grow up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mick-jagger/don-t-you-think-it-s-sometimes-wise-not-to-grow-up/) [Mick Jagger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mick-jagger/) > [Only fools think they're wise; the rest of us just muddle through as we can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-lint/only-fools-think-they-re-wise-the-rest-of-us-just-muddle-through-as/) [Charles de Lint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-lint/) > [He that will write well in any tongue must follow this counsel of Aristotle: to speak as the common people do, to think as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ascham/he-that-will-write-well-in-any-tongue-must-follow-this-counsel-of-2/) [Roger Ascham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ascham/) > [There are men who think themselves too wise to be religious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-richardson/there-are-men-who-think-themselves-too-wise-to-be-religious/) [Samuel Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-richardson/) > [To speak as the common people do, to think as wise men do is style.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ascham/to-speak-as-the-common-people-do-to-think-as-wise-men-do-is-style/) [Roger Ascham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ascham/) > [Who can think wise or stupid things at all that were not thought already in the past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/who-can-think-wise-or-stupid-things-at-all-that-were-not-thought/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [The trouble was, if you were a chief you had to think, you had to be wise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-golding/the-trouble-was-if-you-were-a-chief-you-had-to-think-you-had-to-be/) [William Golding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-golding/) > [The fool don't think he is wise, but the wise man knows himself to be a fool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/the-fool-don-t-think-he-is-wise-but-the-wise-man-knows-himself-to-be/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) ## More by Norton Juster > [You see, years ago I was just an ordinary bee minding my own business, smelling flowers all day, and occasionally picking up part-time work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/you-see-years-ago-i-was-just-an-ordinary-bee-minding-my-own-business/) [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) > [“How are you going to make it move? It doesn't have a – " "Be very quiet," advised the duke, "for it goes without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/how-are-you-going-to-make-it-move-it-doesn-t-have-a-be-very-quiet/) [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) > [It was really written as most, I think, books are by writers - for themselves. There was something that just had to be written,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/it-was-really-written-as-most-i-think-books-are-by-writers-for/) [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) > [“What kind of a place is Expectations?" inquired Milo, unable to see the humor and feeling very doubtful of the little man's sanity. "Good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/what-kind-of-a-place-is-expectations-inquired-milo-unable-to-see-the/) [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) > [There is much worth noticing that often escapes the eye.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/there-is-much-worth-noticing-that-often-escapes-the-eye/) [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) > [“The most important reason for going from one place to another is to see what's in between.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/the-most-important-reason-for-going-from-one-place-to-another-is-to/) [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) > [“As the cheering continued, Rhyme leaned forward and touched Milo gently on the shoulder. "They're cheering for you," she said with a smile. "But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/as-the-cheering-continued-rhyme-leaned-forward-and-touched-milo/) [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) > [He paused again as a tear of longing rolled from cheek to lip with the sweet-salty taste of an old memory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/he-paused-again-as-a-tear-of-longing-rolled-from-cheek-to-lip-with/) [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) > [“Kad god se nasmiješiš, radost se oko tebe širi poput kolobara u bari, i kad god si tužan, nitko nigdje ne može biti stvarno…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/kad-god-se-nasmije-i-radost-se-oko-tebe-iri-poput-kolobara-u-bari-i/) [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) > [“Why not take a few pounds of ‘happys’?” advised the salesman. “They’re much more practical—and very useful for Happy Birthday, Happy New Year, happy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/why-not-take-a-few-pounds-of-happys-advised-the-salesman-they-re-much/) [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) > [...it's not just learning that's important. It's learning what to do with what you learn and learning why you learn things that matters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/it-s-not-just-learning-that-s-important-it-s-learning-what-to-do-with/) [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) > [Sometimes I find the best way of getting from one place to another is simply to erase everything and begin again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/sometimes-i-find-the-best-way-of-getting-from-one-place-to-another-is/) [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) > [Have you ever heard the wonderful silence just before the dawn? Or the quiet and calm just as a storm ends? Or perhaps you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/have-you-ever-heard-the-wonderful-silence-just-before-the-dawn-or-the/) [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) > [How can you see something that isn't there?" yawned the Humbug, who wasn't fully awake yet. "Sometimes, it's much simpler than seeing things that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/how-can-you-see-something-that-isn-t-there-yawned-the-humbug-who-wasn/) [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) > [“I wonder where I am," said Milo in a very worried tone. "You're . . . in . . . the . . .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/i-wonder-where-i-am-said-milo-in-a-very-worried-tone-you-re-in-the/) [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) [Explore all 185 Norton Juster quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) ## More Language quotes > [I put myself in the student's place and remember the frustrations, doubts, determination, and desires I felt when I was going through the initial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-martinez/i-put-myself-in-the-student-s-place-and-remember-the-frustrations/) [Ted Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-martinez/) > [Usually male directors have to use foul language to get the job done. 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Maybe it's his first time around.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/a-man-walks-down-the-street-it-s-a-street-in-a-strange-world-maybe-it/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [“I only have two words to say More or Less”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timbur/i-only-have-two-words-to-say-more-or-less/) [TimBur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timbur/) > [It's like saying French shouldn't be taught because you don't understand it because it's new. Shakespeare is just like learning a new, exciting language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-barnett/it-s-like-saying-french-shouldn-t-be-taught-because-you-don-t/) [Samuel Barnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-barnett/) > [I am attracted to looking at the different things language can mean even in one sometimes quite ordinary utterance. Writing is partly about listening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rae-armantrout/i-am-attracted-to-looking-at-the-different-things-language-can-mean/) [Rae Armantrout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rae-armantrout/) > [What is music? Music is language. A human being wants to express ideas in this language, but not ideas that can be translated into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-webern/what-is-music-music-is-language-a-human-being-wants-to-express-ideas/) [Anton Webern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-webern/) > [You're beautiful, cute, pretty, gorgeous, and fuck.. I ran out of words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raghib-clitso/you-re-beautiful-cute-pretty-gorgeous-and-fuck-i-ran-out-of-words/) [Raghib Clitso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raghib-clitso/) > [The world has a soul and whoever understands that soul can also understand the language of many things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/the-world-has-a-soul-and-whoever-understands-that-soul-can-also/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“The words for what I want to say right now don't exist. Everything sounds…so cliché.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelly-crane/the-words-for-what-i-want-to-say-right-now-don-t-exist-everything/) [Shelly Crane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelly-crane/) > [A man cannot speak but he judges himself. 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