Quote added by staff

Why not add this to your book or post it to your site/blog?

An average English word is four letters and a half. By hard, honest labor I've dug all the large words out of my vocabulary and shaved it down till the average is three and a half... I never write metropolis for seven cents, because I can get the same money for city. I never write policeman, because I can get the same price for cop.... I never write valetudinarian at all, for not even hunger and wretchedness can humble me to the point where I will do a word like that for seven cents; I wouldn't do it for fifteen.   Twain, Mark

 

  Chat about this quote in the Village Inn

  Share corrections or notes in the village Library

This quote is tagged Words · Search on Google Books to find all references and sources for this quotation · Help your friends discover QB

• Biography
• 1 Fan
• This quote in blogs