Say What? Brevity is the soul of wit + It goes without saying
In today’s Say What? article, we’ll find out more about the phrases Brevity is the soul of wit and It goes without saying, with examples from Doctor Who.
Brevity is the soul of wit
The origin of this phrase can be found in William Shakespeare’s Hamlet (1602). In Act 2 Scene 2, Lord Polonius says:
Therefore, since brevity is the soul of wit,
And tediousness the limbs and outward flourishes,
I will be brief: your noble son is mad [...]
In this context, "brevity" implies being brief when speaking, "soul" is used with the meaning of essence, and last, "wit" refers to intelligence, knowledge. Therefore, the phrase means to say that the essence of intelligence is to express yourself in a brief way by using the right words, thus delivering the message efficiently.
Since then, "wit" has changed its meaning a bit and, along with it, our phrase, as well. At present, "wit" means "an ability to say or write things that are clever and usually funny". There's a bit more added to the old meaning! Thus, you can use the phrase to say that you wish to deliver a brief, efficient and funny message. Be witty with only a few words! Let’s see how the Eleventh Doctor does it:
"Oh, you know me, Pond. I’m just a mad man with a box!" the Doctor said as he walked towards the TARDIS.
"And brevity is the soul of wit indeed!" Amy said, a pleased smile on her face as she followed the Doctor inside the TARDIS.
It goes without saying
The meaning of the phrase it goes without saying can be explained easily: it is something clear, evident, well-known. The phrase is a translation of the French "cela va sans dire" or "ça va sans dire" and was used in English starting mid-nineteenth century. At present, it can be easily used in sentences where you want to state something obvious: "It goes without saying that ...":
"So the TARDIS can travel through time, as well?" Amy asked, staring at the blue box.
"It goes without saying that a Time Lord can travel through both time and space!" the Doctor replied, patting the side of the TARDIS proudly.
Another version of the phrase is the one using "that" instead of "it". However, while "it goes without saying" can be placed both at the beginning and at the end of the sentence, "that goes without saying" should only be placed at the end of the sentence, after you mention what appears to be obvious:
"How else would I know that he prefers to go by Stormaggedon, Dark Lord of All?" the Doctor asked. "Of course I speak baby, that goes without saying."
The phrase can also be used in past tense: "it went without saying"). The meaning is just a bit different. In this case, it implies that something was obvious in the past, while at present, it isn't anymore.
In conclusion, if you've got something obvious to say, keep it short and just reply a simple "it goes without saying", since brevity is the soul of wit!
Sources: EnglishClub.com, Phrases.org.uk, Dictionary.com, English.stackexchange,com, Merriam-Webster.
Brevity is the soul of wit
The origin of this phrase can be found in William Shakespeare’s Hamlet (1602). In Act 2 Scene 2, Lord Polonius says:
Therefore, since brevity is the soul of wit,
And tediousness the limbs and outward flourishes,
I will be brief: your noble son is mad [...]
In this context, "brevity" implies being brief when speaking, "soul" is used with the meaning of essence, and last, "wit" refers to intelligence, knowledge. Therefore, the phrase means to say that the essence of intelligence is to express yourself in a brief way by using the right words, thus delivering the message efficiently.
Since then, "wit" has changed its meaning a bit and, along with it, our phrase, as well. At present, "wit" means "an ability to say or write things that are clever and usually funny". There's a bit more added to the old meaning! Thus, you can use the phrase to say that you wish to deliver a brief, efficient and funny message. Be witty with only a few words! Let’s see how the Eleventh Doctor does it:
"Oh, you know me, Pond. I’m just a mad man with a box!" the Doctor said as he walked towards the TARDIS.
"And brevity is the soul of wit indeed!" Amy said, a pleased smile on her face as she followed the Doctor inside the TARDIS.
It goes without saying
The meaning of the phrase it goes without saying can be explained easily: it is something clear, evident, well-known. The phrase is a translation of the French "cela va sans dire" or "ça va sans dire" and was used in English starting mid-nineteenth century. At present, it can be easily used in sentences where you want to state something obvious: "It goes without saying that ...":
"So the TARDIS can travel through time, as well?" Amy asked, staring at the blue box.
"It goes without saying that a Time Lord can travel through both time and space!" the Doctor replied, patting the side of the TARDIS proudly.
Another version of the phrase is the one using "that" instead of "it". However, while "it goes without saying" can be placed both at the beginning and at the end of the sentence, "that goes without saying" should only be placed at the end of the sentence, after you mention what appears to be obvious:
"How else would I know that he prefers to go by Stormaggedon, Dark Lord of All?" the Doctor asked. "Of course I speak baby, that goes without saying."
The phrase can also be used in past tense: "it went without saying"). The meaning is just a bit different. In this case, it implies that something was obvious in the past, while at present, it isn't anymore.
In conclusion, if you've got something obvious to say, keep it short and just reply a simple "it goes without saying", since brevity is the soul of wit!
Sources: EnglishClub.com, Phrases.org.uk, Dictionary.com, English.stackexchange,com, Merriam-Webster.