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Coloraday Posted 17 years ago
Grammar

What does this mean?

Is this a famous saying or anything alike?What does it mean?
Those who can,do.Those who can't,teach.
Thanks
  

Top answer

Hello, Coloraday, As famous as it is, the statement is rude, biased, and absolutely unjust. This adage is an insult, a direct put-down. The meaning of it reflected in dictionaries is as follows: people who are able to do something well can do that thing for a living, while people who are not able to do anything that well make a living by teaching.

— Andriy Lapin

  • Hello, Coloraday, As famous as it is, the statement is rude, biased, and absolutely unjust.
  • This adage is an insult, a direct put-down.
  • The meaning of it reflected in dictionaries is as follows: people who are able to do something well can do that thing for a living, while people who are not able to do anything that well make a living by teaching.
  • It was coined by George Bernard Shaw in his Man and Superman.
  • Respectfully, Gleb Chebrikoff
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8 Answers
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Hello, Coloraday,

As famous as it is, the statement is rude, biased, and absolutely unjust. This adage is an insult, a direct put-down. The meaning of it reflected in dictionaries is as follows: people who are able to do something well can do that thing for a living, while people who are not able to do anything that well make a living by teaching. It was coined by George Bernar
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Thank you very much Gleb.
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coloradayIs this a famous saying or anything alike?What does it mean?

Those who can,do.Those who can't,teach.


It means that some students of science at some point in their lives find out to themselves that they can not hack it in the field, they come to a realisation that they will never invent anything, never discover any theories (be
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I was very glad to help, Coloraday.

Concerning the supposed neutrality of the phrase, one should bear in mind that it makes a generalisation about those who teach. If we analysed it in more detail, we would find that the statement is even contradictory in itself. What is more, I hold that the truth is exactly the opposite: Those who can, teach. Those who can't, do
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Gleb_ChebrikoffWhat is more, I hold that the truth is exactly the opposite: Those who can, teach. Those who can't, do.


Hi,

Surery you are not suggesting that Bernard Shaw was mistaken.

Regards,

Alex.

PS: I myself know a few teachers who are brilliant at what they do, and they do a perfec
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Good evening,

I am sureLy not suggesting that bizarre kind of thing; besides, as I have already pointed out, this comedy of manners by Shaw is very neat and precise stylistically.

Given that I respect your views on the subject, I advise you to consider the interpretation of this Shaw-coined proverb in any quality dictionary of idi
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This quote is rude and insulting to all teachers. I went to college for for 4 years plus graduate level work. People who use that quote should stop and think about who taught them to read anand to learn math. I defy anyone who thinks teaching is a snap. Try taking an 8th grade student with an attitude and a learning disability and that student into one who loves reading by the end of a school.
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AnonymousSo teaching takes smarts, creativity, managerial skills, mediation skills and the list goes on.
So true, but how many people who call themselves teachers actually have those skills?

CJ
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