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Empty vessels make the most noise

Meaning: Those who know the least often talk the most.

Origin: English proverb, sometimes attributed to Plato.

Translations

  • French: Les tonneaux vides font le plus de bruit (literally: Empty barrels make the most noise)
  • Spanish: Mucho ruido y pocas nueces (literally: Much noise and few nuts)
  • Japanese: 空の樽が最も大きな音を立てる (Kara no taru ga mottomo ōkina oto wo tateru) (literally: Empty barrels make the loudest sound)

More proverbs about Communication

  • Still waters run deep — Quiet people often have great depth of character.
  • Barking dogs seldom bite — People who make threats rarely carry them out.
  • A picture is worth a thousand words — Visual information communicates more effectively than text.
  • The squeaky wheel gets the grease — Those who complain the most get attention.
  • It takes two to tango — Both parties are responsible in a conflict.
  • United we stand, divided we fall — Strength comes from unity.

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