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Don't use a five-dollar word when a fifty-cent word will do.
Mark Twain
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Interpretation

What this quote means

Simplicity in language is often more effective than complexity.

Mark Twain suggests that one should choose simpler words over unnecessarily complex ones, as this makes communication clearer and more accessible. The quote reflects Twain's wit and his belief in the importance of straightforwardness in expression.

Themes

SimplicityCommunicationClarityHumorLanguage

In practice

Example use cases

In a speech about effective communication, one might use this quote to emphasize the importance of clear language.

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Weather is a literary specialty, and no untrained hand can turn out a good article on it
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You can't reason with your heart; it has its own laws, and thumps about things which the intellect scorns.
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To be good is noble; but to show others how to be good is nobler and no trouble.
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In Paris they just simply opened their eyes and stared when we spoke to them in French! We never did succeed in making those idiots understand their own language.
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