Mere inflation-that is, the mere issuance of more money, with the consequence of higher wages and prices-may look like the creation of more demand. But in terms of the actual production and exchange of real things it is not.
Henry HazlittRead
A man with a scant vocabulary will almost certainly be a weak thinker. The richer and more copious one's vocabulary and the greater one's awareness of fine distinctions and subtle nuances of meaning, the more fertile and precise is likely to be one's thinking. Knowledge of things and knowledge of the words for them grow together. If you do not know the words, you can hardly know the thing.
Interpretation
What this quote means
A strong vocabulary enhances thinking skills and understanding.
This quote emphasizes the critical connection between language and thought. It suggests that a limited vocabulary corresponds with weak thinking abilities, while a rich vocabulary allows for deeper insights and clearer perceptions. Mastery of language enables individuals to comprehend and articulate ideas more precisely, which in turn enhances their overall cognitive abilities and understanding of the world.
Themes
VocabularyThinkingLanguageKnowledgeMeaning
In practice
Example use cases
A teacher might quote this to highlight the importance of language in education.
More from Henry Hazlitt
All quotes →Economics is haunted by more fallacies than any other study known to man. This is no accident. The inherent difficulties of the subject would be great enough in any case, but they are multiplied a thousandfold by a factor that is insignificant in, say, physics, mathematics or medicine - the special pleading of selfish interests.
Henry HazlittRead
The only way we could remember would be by constant re-reading, for knowledge unused tends to drop out of mind. Knowledge used does not need to be remembered; practice forms habits and habits make memory unnecessary. The rule is nothing; the application is everything.
Henry HazlittRead
The great merit of gold is precisely that it is scarce; that its quantity is limited by nature; that it is costly to discover, to mine, and to process; and that it cannot be created by political fiat or caprice.
Henry HazlittRead
If a government resorts to inflation, that is, creates money in order to cover its budget deficits or expands credit in order to stimulate business, then no power on earth, no gimmick, device, trick or even indexation can prevent its economic consequences.
Henry HazlittRead
Economics is haunted by more fallacies than any other study known to man
Henry HazlittRead
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