--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Speak properly, and in as few words as…" description: "\"Speak properly, and in as few words as you can, but always plainly; for the end of speech is not ostentation, but to be understood.\" — William Penn" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27f/william-penn-1104_communication_speak-properly-and-in-as-few-words-as-yo_1589687.png" --- # Speak properly, and in as few words as you can, but always… ![“Speak properly, and in as few words as you can, but always plainly; for the end of speech is not ostentation, but to be understood.” quote by William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27f/william-penn-1104_communication_speak-properly-and-in-as-few-words-as-yo_1589687.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27f/william-penn-1104_communication_speak-properly-and-in-as-few-words-as-yo_1589687.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27f/william-penn-1104_communication_speak-properly-and-in-as-few-words-as-yo_1589687.png) > “Speak properly, and in as few words as you can, but always plainly; for the end of speech is not ostentation, but to be understood.” [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Clear, concise speech should aim for understanding, not showiness; brevity serves communication. **In simple terms:** Speak plainly to be understood, not to show off. Key Takeaway Prioritize clarity over ornamentation. Themes communication clarity brevity understanding Mood direct educational pragmatic Type educational philosophical When to use this quote - public speaking - writing - teaching - daily conversation Key Concepts rhetoric language philosophy Questions to Reflect On - When is elaborate language necessary? - How do you ensure clarity without oversimplifying? A Different Perspective Complex ideas sometimes need nuance beyond brevity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Plainly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plainly/) [Properly Words](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/properly-words-6022193/) [Speak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speak/) [Speak Properly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speak-properly-2296956/) [Speech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speech/) [Understood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understood/) [Words Plainly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/words-plainly-6022192/) ## Related quotes > [When we speak freely, let us speak plainly, for plain speech is wholesome; especially, plain speech about public affairs and public men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-j-nock/when-we-speak-freely-let-us-speak-plainly-for-plain-speech-is/) [Albert J. Nock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-j-nock/) > [Sometimes people think that I'm maybe pretentious or just weird, a fraud, or fake, because I have a formal education and speak properly and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/princess-nokia/sometimes-people-think-that-i-m-maybe-pretentious-or-just-weird-a/) [Princess Nokia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/princess-nokia/) > [There was a time when I was not able to speak properly because of my medical condition. But I managed to fight against all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sangram-singh/there-was-a-time-when-i-was-not-able-to-speak-properly-because-of-my/) [Sangram Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sangram-singh/) > [My mother taught me everything I know; how to speak properly, posture, enunciation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-krohn/my-mother-taught-me-everything-i-know-how-to-speak-properly-posture/) [Jonathan Krohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-krohn/) > [Take some elocution lessons; you can joke with Ebonics, but the truth is, nothing beats the King's English. Learning how to speak properly, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-williams/take-some-elocution-lessons-you-can-joke-with-ebonics-but-the-truth/) [Wendy Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendy-williams/) > [I'm a basket case. Yeah, you know, I put my foot in my mouth more than I speak properly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adsit/i-m-a-basket-case-yeah-you-know-i-put-my-foot-in-my-mouth-more-than-i/) [Scott Adsit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adsit/) > [“When we fail to speak properly, many in our audience will question our education and our knowledgeableness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-curtis/when-we-fail-to-speak-properly-many-in-our-audience-will-question-our/) [Bill Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-curtis/) > [I put my foot in my mouth more than I speak properly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adsit/i-put-my-foot-in-my-mouth-more-than-i-speak-properly/) [Scott Adsit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adsit/) > [I had this terrible stammer, so I couldn't really speak properly until I was 16 or 17.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carly-simon/i-had-this-terrible-stammer-so-i-couldn-t-really-speak-properly-until/) [Carly Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carly-simon/) > [The Constitution itself, plainly written as it is, the safeguard of our federative compact, the offspring of concession and compromise, binding together in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-k-polk/the-constitution-itself-plainly-written-as-it-is-the-safeguard-of-our/) [James K. 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Write plainly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-t-o-connor/be-brave-write-plainly/) [Patricia T. O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-t-o-connor/) > [I am a zizzer zazzer zuzz as you can plainly see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-seuss-2/i-am-a-zizzer-zazzer-zuzz-as-you-can-plainly-see/) [Dr Seuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-seuss-2/) ## More by William Penn > [Love grows. Lust wastes by Enjoyment, and the Reason is, that one springs from an Union of Souls, and the other from an Union…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/love-grows-lust-wastes-by-enjoyment-and-the-reason-is-that-one/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [Once you've accumulated sufficient knowledge to get by, you're too old to remember it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/once-you-ve-accumulated-sufficient-knowledge-to-get-by-you-re-too-old/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [If thou wouldn't conquer thy weakness thou must not gratify it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/if-thou-wouldn-t-conquer-thy-weakness-thou-must-not-gratify-it/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [Religion is the fear of God, and its demonstration good works; and faith is the root of both: For without faith we cannot please…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/religion-is-the-fear-of-god-and-its-demonstration-good-works-and/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [All excess is ill; but drunkenness is of the worst sort. 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