ProverbMorality
English origin1895
English origin1895The truth is rarely pure and never simple
Meaning: Reality is complex and nuanced; anyone claiming simple certainty should be viewed with skepticism.
Who said it? Oscar Wilde, The Importance of Being Earnest, 1895
Origin: From Oscar Wilde's comedy The Importance of Being Earnest (1895). When Jack claims to be telling "the truth pure and simple," Algernon corrects him: "The truth is rarely pure and never simple." Wilde turned a stock phrase inside out, as he did throughout the play.
Explore another collection: Tongue Twisters
Tricky phrases to practice out loud, from languages around the world.
- 네가 그린 기린 그림은 못 그린 기린 그림이고 내가 그린 기린 그림은 잘 그린 기린 그림이다. (Nega geurin girin geurimeun mot geurin girin geurimigo, naega geurin girin geurimeun jal geurin girin geurimida.) geurin, girin and geurim rotate through nearly the same syllables with only the vowel mov…
- 앞 집 팥죽은 붉은 팥 풋팥죽이고, 뒷집 콩죽은 햇콩 단콩 콩죽이다. (Ap jip patjugeun bulgeun pat put-patjugigo, dwitjip kongjugeun haetkong dankong kongjugida.) Stacks Korean's aspirated p and k against the final consonants, so every word ends where…
- 저 분은 백 법학박사이고 이 분은 박 법학박사이다. (Jeo buneun Baek beopakbaksa igo, i buneun Bak beopakbaksa ida.) Baek and Bak are a single vowel apart, and 법학박사 piles four stop consonants into one title.
Keep exploring