Accuracy of language is one of the bulwarks of truth.

Jameson’s aphorism links precision in words to precision in thought. If language is careless—vague, inflated, or ambiguous—then claims become harder to test, disagreements harder to resolve, and error easier to smuggle in. Calling accuracy a “bulwark” suggests a defensive structure: exact phrasing protects truth from distortion, whether through misunderstanding, rhetoric, or deliberate manipulation. The remark also reflects a broader nineteenth-century concern with moral and intellectual clarity: to speak and write carefully is not merely stylistic, but an ethical discipline that supports honest inquiry and fair communication.