---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If literacy was natural, the word…"
description: "\"“If literacy was natural, the word ‘illiteracy’ would not exist.”\" — T.K. Naliaka"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0bd/t-k-naliaka-67099_africa_if-literacy-was-natural-the-word-illiter_2352485.jpg"
---

#  If literacy was natural, the word ‘illiteracy’ would not…

![“If literacy was natural, the word ‘illiteracy’ would not exist.” quote by T.K. Naliaka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0bd/t-k-naliaka-67099_africa_if-literacy-was-natural-the-word-illiter_2352485.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0bd/t-k-naliaka-67099_africa_if-literacy-was-natural-the-word-illiter_2352485.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0bd/t-k-naliaka-67099_africa_if-literacy-was-natural-the-word-illiter_2352485.jpg)

> ““If literacy was natural, the word ‘illiteracy’ would not exist.””

T.K. Naliaka

## 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 highlights that literacy is a learned skill, not an innate one, so illiteracy exists as a contrast.

**In simple terms:** Literacy is learned, not natural.

Key Takeaway

Invest in education and literacy programs.

Themes

education inequality language

Mood

reflective concerned

Type

observational analytical

When to use this quote

- schools
- community centers
- adult education
- policy making

Key Concepts

social development cognitive skills

Questions to Reflect On

- How can societies better support adult learners?
- What barriers prevent universal literacy?

A Different Perspective

Addressing illiteracy requires resources and cultural change.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Africa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/africa/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Illiteracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/illiteracy/) [Literacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/literacy/)

## Related quotes

> [“The truth for a man, it's what makes him a man.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry-2/the-truth-for-a-man-it-s-what-makes-him-a-man/)

[Antoine de Saint Exupéry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry-2/)

> [“I hope that as a totally literate human being that you don't even know what "illiteracy" is because it simply doesn't exist in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-davis/i-hope-that-as-a-totally-literate-human-being-that-you-don-t-even/)

[Peter Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-davis/)

> [The major accomplishment of analyzing illiteracy so far has been the listing of symptoms: the decrease in functional literacy; a general degradation of writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mihai-nadin/the-major-accomplishment-of-analyzing-illiteracy-so-far-has-been-the/)

Mihai Nadin

> [“All over the world there are enormous numbers of smart, even gifted, people who harbor a passion for science. But that passion is unrequited.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/all-over-the-world-there-are-enormous-numbers-of-smart-even-gifted-2/)

[Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/)

> [The ratio of literacy to illiteracy is constant, but nowadays the illiterates can read and write.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alberto-moravia/the-ratio-of-literacy-to-illiteracy-is-constant-but-nowadays-the/)

[Alberto Moravia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alberto-moravia/)

> [“Literacy makes man a victim of advertising. Education makes him a victim of employment.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/literacy-makes-man-a-victim-of-advertising-education-makes-him-a/)

[Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/)

> [The elimination of ignorance, of illiteracy... and of needless inequalities in opportunities (is) to be seen as objectives that are valued for their own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amartya-sen/the-elimination-of-ignorance-of-illiteracy-and-of-needless/)

[Amartya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amartya-sen/)

> [Kids not only need to read a lot but they need lots of books they can read right at their fingertips.They also need access…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-allington/kids-not-only-need-to-read-a-lot-but-they-need-lots-of-books-they-can/)

[Richard Allington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-allington/)

> [By 1940 the literacy figure for all states stood at 96 percent for whites. Eighty percent for blacks. Notice for all the disadvantages blacks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vin-suprynowicz/by-1940-the-literacy-figure-for-all-states-stood-at-96-percent-for/)

[Vin Suprynowicz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vin-suprynowicz/)

> [Better to lose a book to a child, than to lose a child to illiteracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-allington/better-to-lose-a-book-to-a-child-than-to-lose-a-child-to-illiteracy/)

[Richard Allington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-allington/)

> [People are the common denominator of progress. So... no improvement is possible with unimproved people, and advance is certain when people are liberated and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/people-are-the-common-denominator-of-progress-so-no-improvement-is/)

[John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/)

> [“To witness the awe of human beings delighting in their own hands forming the written word was humbling and he understood it profoundly at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-k-naliaka/to-witness-the-awe-of-human-beings-delighting-in-their-own-hands/)

T.K. Naliaka

> [We live in a world in which we are able to communicate very quickly in many different ways, and yet we find communicating more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-cruise/we-live-in-a-world-in-which-we-are-able-to-communicate-very-quickly/)

[Tom Cruise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-cruise/)

> [Illiteracy does not impede the practice of democracy, as witnessed by the success of democracy in India despite the high illiteracy rate. One doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alaa-al-aswany/illiteracy-does-not-impede-the-practice-of-democracy-as-witnessed-by/)

[Alaa Al Aswany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alaa-al-aswany/)

> [Our real illiteracy is our inability to create](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedensreich-hundertwasser/our-real-illiteracy-is-our-inability-to-create/)

[Friedensreich Hundertwasser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedensreich-hundertwasser/)

## More by T.K. Naliaka

> [“To witness the awe of human beings delighting in their own hands forming the written word was humbling and he understood it profoundly at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-k-naliaka/to-witness-the-awe-of-human-beings-delighting-in-their-own-hands/)

T.K. Naliaka

> [“If one could speak two languages well and was raised on tea and baguettes for breakfast,in places where the most mundane daily business on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-k-naliaka/if-one-could-speak-two-languages-well-and-was-raised-on-tea-and/)

T.K. Naliaka

> [“If people's night fears of sorcery - which negatively influences their decision to use mosquito nets - fail to impress the outsider, the brute…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-k-naliaka/if-people-s-night-fears-of-sorcery-which-negatively-influences-their/)

T.K. Naliaka

Explore all 4 T.K. Naliaka quotes

## More Africa quotes

> [“We ought to know the history of our ancient ancestors.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/we-ought-to-know-the-history-of-our-ancient-ancestors/)

[Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/)

> [Africa, being the major target of colonial plunder, therefore becomes a major source of conflict.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-horne/africa-being-the-major-target-of-colonial-plunder-therefore-becomes-a/)

[Gerald Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-horne/)

> [I'm in 'Madagascar 2.' I'm Testy the Lion. The franchise moves to Africa, and Bernie Mac is also in the film. I loved working…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-lister-jr/i-m-in-madagascar-2-i-m-testy-the-lion-the-franchise-moves-to-africa/)

[Tom Lister, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-lister-jr/)

> [South Africa needs a second liberation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mugabe/south-africa-needs-a-second-liberation/)

[Robert Mugabe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mugabe/)

> [There's a place in Botswana where there are 100,000 elephants living in a single population. Think of the amount of space they need. Remember,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-bergin/there-s-a-place-in-botswana-where-there-are-100-000-elephants-living/)

[Patrick Bergin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-bergin/)

> [If you followed the media you'd think that everybody in Africa was starving to death, and that's not the case; so it's important to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/if-you-followed-the-media-you-d-think-that-everybody-in-africa-was/)

[Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/)

> [Africa for the Africans... at home and abroad!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-garvey/africa-for-the-africans-at-home-and-abroad/)

[Marcus Garvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-garvey/)

> [In Africa, animals and the natural landscape allow local communities to support themselves, as there is a constant source of money from tourism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lidington/in-africa-animals-and-the-natural-landscape-allow-local-communities/)

[David Lidington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lidington/)

> [My mom is from Ghana, and my dad is from Detroit, so I would go back and forth to Africa a lot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-richardson/my-mom-is-from-ghana-and-my-dad-is-from-detroit-so-i-would-go-back/)

[Sam Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-richardson/)

> [I've never been invited to do an exhibition or do a talk in England, except once, about 10 years ago. I've given talks all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-wildsmith/i-ve-never-been-invited-to-do-an-exhibition-or-do-a-talk-in-england/)

[Brian Wildsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-wildsmith/)

> [I represent my country, but I also represent the continent of Africa when I play in Europe. That's why it's important to try to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yaya-toure/i-represent-my-country-but-i-also-represent-the-continent-of-africa/)

[Yaya Toure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yaya-toure/)

> [What we need in South Africa is for egos to be suppressed in favour of peace. We need to create a new breed of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hani/what-we-need-in-south-africa-is-for-egos-to-be-suppressed-in-favour/)

[Chris Hani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hani/)

> [I was learning to track rhinoceroses in Africa and tracked right up on an animal that really I thought was going to kill me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-beck/i-was-learning-to-track-rhinoceroses-in-africa-and-tracked-right-up/)

[Martha Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-beck/)

> [I am interested in bringing Africa to the foot of the Cross.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhard-bonnke/i-am-interested-in-bringing-africa-to-the-foot-of-the-cross/)

[Reinhard Bonnke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhard-bonnke/)

> [My mother is a huge fan of my work. I told her about 'Coraline' long before the film was made, and she got the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-selick/my-mother-is-a-huge-fan-of-my-work-i-told-her-about-coraline-long/)

[Henry Selick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-selick/)

[Browse all 1,665 Africa quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/africa/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“If literacy was natural, the word ‘illiteracy’ would not exist.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "T.K. Naliaka"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-k-naliaka/if-literacy-was-natural-the-word-illiteracy-would-not-exist/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Africa"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-k-naliaka/if-literacy-was-natural-the-word-illiteracy-would-not-exist/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0bd/t-k-naliaka-67099_africa_if-literacy-was-natural-the-word-illiter_2352485.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0bd/t-k-naliaka-67099_africa_if-literacy-was-natural-the-word-illiter_2352485.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0bd/t-k-naliaka-67099_africa_if-literacy-was-natural-the-word-illiter_2352485.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“If literacy was natural, the word ‘illiteracy’ would not exist.” — T.K. Naliaka",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "T.K. Naliaka",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-k-naliaka/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“If literacy was natural, the word...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-k-naliaka/if-literacy-was-natural-the-word-illiteracy-would-not-exist/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-k-naliaka/if-literacy-was-natural-the-word-illiteracy-would-not-exist/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
