# than ten thousand words in a tongue

Paul was not counting words, but used exaggeration to emphasize that a few understandable words are far more valuable than even a great number of words in a language that people cannot understand. Also, here "tongue" represents a language. Alternate translation: "10,000 words in a different language" or "a great many words in a different language" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/jit/translate-numbers]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-hyperbole]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metonymy]])