Guglielmo Marconi — "This new form of communication could have some utility."
This new form of communication could have some utility.
Get This Quote & Author's Image Illustrated On:
Click any product to generate a realistic preview. Up to 3 at a time.
* Initial load can take up to 90 seconds — revising the preview in another color is nearly instant.
Kitchen
Apparel
Other
More from Guglielmo Marconi
"In the new era, thought itself will be transmitted by radio."
"I have found that when I want to send a message particularly far, I have to use the Italian language."
"I am not personally a socialist; I have small faith in any political propaganda; but I do believe that the progress of invention will create a state which will realize most of the present dreams of th…"
"I have seen the future and it is wireless."
"The wireless telegraph is not difficult to understand. The ordinary telegraph is like a very long cat. You pull the tail in New York, and it meows in Los Angeles. The wireless is the same, only withou…"
Details
Describing his early wireless telegraphy, an understatement
Date: Early 20th century
GeneralVerification
Unverifiable
Found in 1 providers: gemini
1 source checked
Understanding this quote
What it means
Beneath the surface, this is radical understatement. The speaker recognizes a technology is new and potentially useful but hedges deliberately — saying it 'could have some utility' rather than claiming transformation. It captures the cautious, measured way inventors often speak about their own breakthroughs, avoiding overreach while still signaling value. Sometimes the most historically significant inventions are introduced with the quietest words.
Relevance to Guglielmo Marconi
Marconi invented practical radio communication in the 1890s, transmitting signals wirelessly across ever-greater distances and earning the 1909 Nobel Prize in Physics. A hands-on engineer more than a theorist, he focused on demonstrating tangible results rather than sweeping predictions. This restrained phrasing matches his methodical character — he built the technology, proved it worked, and let the world discover its scope rather than overpromising at the outset.
The era
In the 1890s–1900s, the telegraph had already wired the world, but wireless transmission was unproven and met skepticism from established scientists. Marconi's era saw rapid electrification, industrialization, and imperial competition over communications infrastructure. Governments and navies quickly recognized radio's strategic value — the Titanic disaster in 1912 made wireless distress calls famous globally. Understating radio's potential at its birth reflects genuine uncertainty before its world-altering role became undeniable.
AI-generated insights based on extensive research and information for context. Factual errors? Email [email protected].