--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The ability to speak exactly is…" description: "\"The ability to speak exactly is intimately related to the ability to know exactly.\" — Wendell Berry" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7b/wendell-berry-236_ability_the-ability-to-speak-exactly-is-intimate_1178565.jpg" --- # The ability to speak exactly is intimately related to the… ![“The ability to speak exactly is intimately related to the ability to know exactly.” quote by Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7b/wendell-berry-236_ability_the-ability-to-speak-exactly-is-intimate_1178565.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7b/wendell-berry-236_ability_the-ability-to-speak-exactly-is-intimate_1178565.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7b/wendell-berry-236_ability_the-ability-to-speak-exactly-is-intimate_1178565.jpg) > “The ability to speak exactly is intimately related to the ability to know exactly.” [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Clear expression requires precise knowledge; understanding a subject deeply enables accurate articulation. **In simple terms:** Know well to speak well. Key Takeaway Study thoroughly before communicating. Themes communication knowledge clarity Mood thoughtful analytical Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - teaching - public speaking - writing reports - debates Key Concepts epistemology precision education Questions to Reflect On - What areas do you need deeper knowledge in? - How does precision affect trust? A Different Perspective Complex topics may resist simplification. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Ability to speak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability-to-speak/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) ## Related quotes > [The ability to speak does not make you intelligent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-lucas/the-ability-to-speak-does-not-make-you-intelligent/) [George Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-lucas/) > [I realise I'll have to acquire the ability to speak to my audience in between numbers. I've never had to do that. On the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-schneider/i-realise-i-ll-have-to-acquire-the-ability-to-speak-to-my-audience-in/) [Susan Schneider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-schneider/) > [The ability to speak is a short cut to distinction. It puts a man in the limelight, raises him head and shoulders above the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lowell-thomas/the-ability-to-speak-is-a-short-cut-to-distinction-it-puts-a-man-in/) [Lowell Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lowell-thomas/) > [ I think there was a lot of working out the arc of how Manny \[Daniel Radcliffe\] talks. Scene to scene \[in the Swiss army… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-dano/i-think-there-was-a-lot-of-working-out-the-arc-of-how-manny-daniel/) [Paul Dano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-dano/) > [The ability to speak well is the shortcut to distinction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-carnegie/the-ability-to-speak-well-is-the-shortcut-to-distinction/) [Dale Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-carnegie/) > ['To Speak' we don't have to Pay anything other than the 'ability to Speak', but we have to 'Pay Heavily for what we Speak'.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santanu-mishra/to-speak-we-don-t-have-to-pay-anything-other-than-the-ability-to-2/) [Santanu Mishra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santanu-mishra/) > [I know my ability. I know what I can do. I've just got to control what I can control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cordarrelle-patterson/i-know-my-ability-i-know-what-i-can-do-i-ve-just-got-to-control-what/) [Cordarrelle Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cordarrelle-patterson/) > [It is often said that the magnitude of a people is measured by their ability to know how to win.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-eduardo-dos-santos/it-is-often-said-that-the-magnitude-of-a-people-is-measured-by-their/) [Jose Eduardo Dos Santos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-eduardo-dos-santos/) > [I know my ability and I know what I can give.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-lallana/i-know-my-ability-and-i-know-what-i-can-give/) [Adam Lallana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-lallana/) > [Our ability to know about ourselves and the world is what makes us human](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/our-ability-to-know-about-ourselves-and-the-world-is-what-makes-us/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [I have the ability to know the Truth, and the Truth will set me free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/innah-delos-angeles/i-have-the-ability-to-know-the-truth-and-the-truth-will-set-me-free/) [Innah Delos Angeles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/innah-delos-angeles/) > [Το know how to profit by good advice, requires nearly as much ability as to know how to act for one'self.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/know-how-to-profit-by-good-advice-requires-nearly-as-much-ability-as/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [I am confident in my own ability and I know I can put it in the back of the net.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-barnes/i-am-confident-in-my-own-ability-and-i-know-i-can-put-it-in-the-back/) [Ashley Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-barnes/) > [“Claircognizance is the ability to know without trying.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lada-ray/claircognizance-is-the-ability-to-know-without-trying/) [Lada Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lada-ray/) > [It requires no small degree of ability to know when to conceal one's ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/it-requires-no-small-degree-of-ability-to-know-when-to-conceal-one-s/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) ## More by Wendell Berry > [During the last 17 years... I have been working at the restoration of a once exhausted hillside. Its scars are now healed over, though…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/during-the-last-17-years-i-have-been-working-at-the-restoration-of-a/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [Like the water of a deep stream, love is always too much. We did not make it. Though we drink till we burst, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/like-the-water-of-a-deep-stream-love-is-always-too-much-we-did-not/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [To husband is to use with care, to keep, to save, to make last, to conserve. Old usage tells us that there is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/to-husband-is-to-use-with-care-to-keep-to-save-to-make-last-to/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [“The two families, sundered in the ruin of a friendship, were united again first in new friendship and then in mariage. My grandfather made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/the-two-families-sundered-in-the-ruin-of-a-friendship-were-united/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [The living can't quit living because the world has turned terrible and people they love and need are killed. They can't because they don't.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/the-living-can-t-quit-living-because-the-world-has-turned-terrible/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [“I knew a man who, in the age of chain-saws, went right on cutting his wood with a handsaw and an axe. He was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/i-knew-a-man-who-in-the-age-of-chain-saws-went-right-on-cutting-his/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [“The concept of country, homeland, dwelling place becomes simplified as "the environment" -- that is, what surrounds us, we have already made a profound…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/the-concept-of-country-homeland-dwelling-place-becomes-simplified-as/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [A community is the mental and spiritual condition of knowing that the place is shared, and that the people who share the place define…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/a-community-is-the-mental-and-spiritual-condition-of-knowing-that-the/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [“That we can prescribe the terms of our own success, that we can live outside or in ignorance of the Great Economy are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/that-we-can-prescribe-the-terms-of-our-own-success-that-we-can-live/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [“The mind that comes to rest is tended In ways that it cannot intend: Is borne, preserved, and comprehended By what it cannot comprehend.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/the-mind-that-comes-to-rest-is-tended-in-ways-that-it-cannot-intend/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [The mercy of the world is time. Time does not stop for love, but it does not stop for death and grief, either.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/the-mercy-of-the-world-is-time-time-does-not-stop-for-love-but-it/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [The soil is the great connector of our lives, the source and destination of all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/the-soil-is-the-great-connector-of-our-lives-the-source-and/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [I dislike the thought that some animal has been made miserable to feed me. If I am going to eat meat, I want it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/i-dislike-the-thought-that-some-animal-has-been-made-miserable-to/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [Laughter is immeasurable. Be joyful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/laughter-is-immeasurable-be-joyful/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [These are people who are capable of devotion, public devotion, to justice. They meant what they said and every day that passes, they mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/these-are-people-who-are-capable-of-devotion-public-devotion-to/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) [Explore all 847 Wendell Berry quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) ## More Ability quotes > [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/) [Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/) > [“the importance of ability. The things that make a great job great, I discovered, are rare and valuable. If you want them in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/the-importance-of-ability-the-things-that-make-a-great-job-great-i/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [The youth of India has the strength to move the entire World with a click of a mouse, we have generated that ability!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-youth-of-india-has-the-strength-to-move-the-entire-world-with-a/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/an-absolutely-necessary-part-of-a-writer-s-equipment-almost-as/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-d-be-more-frightened-by-not-using-whatever-abilities-i-d-been-given/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/) [Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/) > [You can only do the work to the very best of your ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-baranski/you-can-only-do-the-work-to-the-very-best-of-your-ability/) [Christine Baranski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-baranski/) > [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Bobby had faith in my ability as a singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-london/bobby-had-faith-in-my-ability-as-a-singer/) [Julie London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-london/) [Browse all 9,990 Ability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The ability to speak exactly is intimately related to the ability to know exactly.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Wendell Berry" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/the-ability-to-speak-exactly-is-intimately-related-to-the-ability-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ability" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/the-ability-to-speak-exactly-is-intimately-related-to-the-ability-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7b/wendell-berry-236_ability_the-ability-to-speak-exactly-is-intimate_1178565.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7b/wendell-berry-236_ability_the-ability-to-speak-exactly-is-intimate_1178565.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7b/wendell-berry-236_ability_the-ability-to-speak-exactly-is-intimate_1178565.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The ability to speak exactly is intimately related to the ability to know exactly.” — Wendell Berry", "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": "Wendell Berry", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The ability to speak exactly is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/the-ability-to-speak-exactly-is-intimately-related-to-the-ability-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/the-ability-to-speak-exactly-is-intimately-related-to-the-ability-to/#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 } } ] } ```