Trees for Forest phrase

Posted by Shae on June 18, 2003

In Reply to: Trees for Forest phrase posted by James Briggs on June 18, 2003

: : : :
: : : : I saw in your archives a message about Can't see the forest for the trees. I have often heard it said in reverse. Can't see the trees for the forest. Which is right? And what does is the real meaning of it? Anyone know? I need an answer fast.
: : : : yrdbird2@yahoo.com

: : : I'm fairly sure it's 'can't see the forest for the trees.' A person can't see the forest (overall picture) because he/she concentrates too much on the details (trees).

: : I agree with Shae. I'm certain that the original phrase was "you can't see the forest for the trees". However, I'm also pretty sure that the reversed phrase has been in usage for some time too, used to describe a situation where for example someone is so overawed by the size of a problem that he/she can't work out how to start solving it.

: : I found the following paragraph on the web in an article dealing with personality types. It neatly demonstrates the difference between the two phrases.

: : "A person who is a sensing type may not be able to see the forest for the trees while an intuitive person may not see the trees for the forest. Sensors see the actuality and intuitives the see the possibilities. Sensing and intuition provide information about the world but very different sorts of information. People operating from these two functions see the world in very different ways."

: I've never heard 'forest' used in this phrase - it was always 'wood'. Is this just me, or a true UK version?

'Woods' is used here in Ireland too, although 'forest' is heard occasionally.