Speaking Louder than Words with Pictures Across Languages

10,000 words on a single picture, and a similar Japanese proverb devalues this to only 100 words. In most languages the current consensus seems to be that a picture is worth 1000 words. Whatever the true worth in words a good picture is capable of conveying (sometimes quite complex) meaning clearly and without the need for language. Show a picture of an elephant to speakers of two different languages, and most likely they will both understand exactly what it means. A picture can in effect ground the meaning to an object or concept in the real world and act as a convenient bridge over language barriers.