The phrase 'a little learning is a dangerous thing' is a common saying in the English language that is used to mean that pretending to be an expert without the experience could be dangerous. This post unpacks the meaning, origin, and common use of the phrase.
Meaning
The phrase 'a little learning is a dangerous thing' is a common figurative saying in the English language.
Usually, the phrase 'a little learning is a dangerous thing' implies that a little knowledge of something (rather than a lot of knowledge about something) can be dangerous instead of useful.
The phrase is a common cautionary statement, usually with the implication that the person it is being said about (or to) does not know what they're talking about.
The phrase can also be used as a mild insult to (or about) a person. The phrase can also be said as a serious phrase instead.
The phrase is almost never used in the negative form as it would not give a valid form of the saying, but instead mean something else.
The context of what the phrase refers to is usually specified by the speaker, or apparent from the discussion.
'A little learning is a dangerous thing' can be said either to someone or about someone.
Example Usage
“It's never a good idea to read half a page on alchemy and then try what you've done so far. A little learning is a dangerous thing, and you might summon the devil when you were just trying to make some gold.”
“If you don't know what you're doing, then you should call in a professional plumbing service rather than try to fix anything around the house yourself. A little learning is a dangerous thing.”
“I heard about this guy who got one year into his chemistry degree and then tried to quit and cook meth for someone instead. He blew himself up in the first week and that's a lot of lost potential right there. A little learning is a dangerous thing, especially mixed with stupidity.”
“A little learning is a dangerous thing. If you don't know what you've been doing for the past ten years like old Jack here, you shouldn't be behind the trigger of that there gun.”
Origin
According to most online language resources, the origin of the phrase 'a little learning is a dangerous thing' was the writer Alexander Pope.
The phrase 'a little learning is a dangerous thing' first appeared in the text An Essay on Criticism, which was published in 1709.
After the phrase first appeared, it became popular again as a saying in the 1800s and its use would continue into the 1900s when it was added to a great deal of English language dictionaries and phrasebooks.
When it's used in modern times, the phrase is not always a direct Alexander Pope quote, but generally used as a standalone expression that does not have any connection to its original text.
Phrases Similar to A Little Learning is a Dangerous Thing
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Phrases Opposite to A Little Learning is a Dangerous Thing
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What is the Correct Saying?
- A little learning is a dangerous thing
Ways People May Say A Little Learning is a Dangerous Thing Incorrectly
There are several ways in which someone can misunderstand the context or the use of the phrase 'a little learning is a dangerous thing'.
The phrase can be meant as serious or sarcastic, and the context is up to the audience to interpret. Sometimes, this can lead to confusion for people who do not understand or know the phrase.
The saying is not used as 'a little learning is a dangerous thing'.