[Vocabulary] It cannot be too often repeated that

[jacob123]

What does "it cannot be too often repeated" mean? does "the mere fact" refer to the whole sentence or does it refer to "a message comes to us in preternatural fashion"?


It cannot be too often repeated that the mere fact that a message comes to us in preternatural fashion is no guarantee that it is either high or true.


"The History of Spiritualism," by Arthur Conan Doyle

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

What does "it cannot be too often repeated" mean?

It's important.

does "the mere fact" refer to the whole sentence or does it refer to "a message comes to us in preternatural fashion"?

The way it came — preternaturally — is not imporant. The important thing is the message itself.

It cannot be too often repeated that the mere fact that a message comes to us in preternatural fashion is no guarantee that it is either high or true.

"The History of Spiritualism," by Arthur Conan Doyle

The word high is what puzzles me!

 

[jacob123]

The word high is what puzzles me!

Thanks but I am a little confused. Does "the mere fact" refer to the whole remained part of the sentence or does it only refer to "a message comes to us in preternatural fashion"?

 

[emsr2d2]

It means that you can't simply take the fact that a message comes in a preternatural fashion as evidence that it's true (and apparently whatever "high" means there!)

 

[teechar]

It cannot be too often repeated

This is just a way of indicating emphasis and is similar to the common expression in English "cannot be overemphasized/overstated".

Take a look at entry #2 in this link:
https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/overemphasize

For example:
The significance of the peace treaty cannot be overemphasized.
There's a kind of double negative there (not and over), and those two basically cancel each other.
Roughly: do not be concerned that you might give the peace treaty more significance than it's worth; the treaty is VERY significant.

 

[jutfrank]

Thanks but I am a little confused. Does "the mere fact" refer to the whole remained part of the sentence or does it only refer to "a message comes to us in preternatural fashion"?

Only to "a message comes to us in preternatural fashion".