proverb · Words worth keeping
The ignorant think all things wrong which they cannot understand.
The ignorant think all things wrong which they cannot understand.
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
Not understanding something does not establish that it is wrong. Examine the reasons or ask for an explanation before turning a gap in your knowledge into a verdict about the thing itself.
Example
A visitor asks how an unfamiliar catalogue system works before deciding that its different arrangement makes it useless.
Deeper explanation and when to use it
The proverb criticises a response to unfamiliarity: a person rejects what they do not yet understand. Its absolute wording and label ignorant are sharper than a careful judgement needs to be. Everyone has limits to their knowledge, and recognising those limits can support better questions. The point is not that unfamiliar claims deserve automatic acceptance or that expertise must never be challenged. A proposal can be unclear or genuinely mistaken. The useful distinction is between saying that the explanation is insufficient and claiming that lack of understanding alone proves the proposal false, without looking for further evidence.
When to use it
Use it when uncertainty or unfamiliarity is being presented as proof of error.
Keep in mind
Unfamiliar claims still need evidence; the saying should not be used to prevent reasonable questions or criticism.
An interpretation of the words, not a claim about their earliest origin.
Attribution & collection notes
- Author or tradition
- Traditional
Attribution: traditional - Country attributed
- Not established
A country attribution does not establish the earliest origin. - Historical period
- Date unknown
- Culture
- English