"'Ouch' is not independent of social training. One has only to prick a foreigner to appreciate that it is an English word"

This quote by Willard Van Orman Quine recommends that the expression of pain is not universal, yet instead is a product of social training. He implies that the expression of discomfort is a learned actions, and that it is not instinctive. He utilizes the instance of puncturing a foreigner to demonstrate that the expression of pain is not universal, as the foreigner may not comprehend the English word "ouch". This quote suggests that the expression of discomfort is a discovered behavior, which it is not instinctive. It implies that the expression of discomfort is a product of social training, and that it is not global. This quote highlights the relevance of social training in the expression of discomfort, and recommends that the expression of discomfort is not global, however rather is an item of social training.