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No one can say just how long a message should be, but you rarely hear complaints about a speech being too short. The amateur worries about what he is going to put in his speech or article. The expert worries about what he should take out.
Edgar Dale
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Interpretation

What this quote means

Effective communication focuses on clarity and brevity, prioritizing what is essential.

In this quote, Edgar Dale emphasizes the importance of conciseness in communication, suggesting that the length of a message is less important than its clarity and relevance. While amateurs may struggle with what to include, experts understand the value of trimming unnecessary content to enhance the impact of their message.

Themes

CommunicationBrevityClarityExpertiseWriting

In practice

Example use cases

During a public speaking seminar, emphasizing that shorter speeches often leave a greater impression.

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One of the curious things about censorship is that no one seems to believe in it for himself. We want censorship to protect someone else— the young, the unstable, the suggestible, the stupid. I have never heard of anyone who wanted a film or speaker banned because otherwise he himself might be harmed.
Edgar DaleRead

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