George Orwell Quotes

In labouring to be concise, I become obscure.

I labor to be brief, and manage to be obscure.

We find few disputes, that are not founded on some ambiguity in the expression [thereof].

Metaphors are fine if they aid understanding, but sometimes they get in the way.

People like to say, 'What do you mean exactly?' I would answer, 'I mean, but not exactly.'

When we use terms we get confused, yet we have no other way.

I'm tired of wasting letters when punctuation will do, period.

Never be so brief as to become obscure.

I strive to be brief but I become obscure.

Writing is learning to say nothing, more cleverly each day.

Something's that written out is okay, but it's not always a clear indication of what a person means.

I strive to be brief, and I become obscure.

It is impossible to speak in such a way that you cannot be misunderstood.

I love language, and I love the failure of language.

I was born into a profession in which my love of words, chosen with care for their meaning and nuance, was extremely important, not only to me, but also to the people with whom I worked with.

People often complain that music is too ambiguous, that what they should think when they hear it is so unclear, whereas everyone understands words. With me, it is exactly the opposite, and not only with regard to an entire speech but also with individual words.

Words are slippery and thoughts are vicious.

The human word is neither immortal nor invulnerable; but it is the power that orders our chaos, and the light by which we live.

I love words, and I love that there's so many words available to make a point and to create a picture.

one does not only wish to be understood when one writes; one wishes just as surely not to be understood.

Language can be used to so many diverse ends. It can be used to clarify and, of course, it can be used to obfuscate, confuse, evade.

Writing and rewriting are a constant search for what it is one is saying.

Without language, thought is a vague, uncharted nebula.

We are tied down to a language which makes up in obscurity what it lacks in style.

Eloquence is the power to translate a truth into language perfectly intelligible to the person to whom you speak.