it understands itself

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "it understands itself" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe a situation where something has self-awareness or self-referential understanding. Example: "In the context of artificial intelligence, it understands itself when it can analyze its own decision-making processes."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

Never tell the South you understand it better than it understands itself.

The New York Times - Books

The species has evolved to the point where it understands itself, and can seek to escape the brutal handcuffs of nature and end the struggle for existence.

The Economist

If you add up all of California's gospels -- the canons of social responsibility and individual liberty, of market freedom and unfettered growth -- you come up with a cumulative sense of innocence, which is one of the things that really gall the other Western states, which have come to understand California better than it understands itself.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

At times, too, the secular state declared itself Christian and the executor of the spiritual, political, and social commission of the church; it understood itself to be the representative of the Kingdom of God.

Encyclopedia Britannica

But a generation never understands itself -- it's too large and doesn't last long enough.

The New York Times - Books

Indeed, it is possible to argue that the conceptions are in one sense potentially identical: if the essence of nature is that it produces the subjectivity which enables it to understand itself, nature itself could be construed as a kind of 'super-subject'.

SEP

"It tells us that the church still understands itself as an environment dominated by men".

The New York Times

As Ross Baker, the lead character in Christopher Brookmyre's brain-tickling novel, remembers it, this argument "suggested that if the human race survived long enough, in its endeavours to understand itself, it would surely develop 'ancestor simulations': hyper-realistic virtual-reality environments in which the minds inhabiting these worlds were themselves part of the simulation.

The Guardian - Books

It has had to understand itself better through this listening, and it has had to convince other groups that it is a serious movement, not just some kids who camped in a park for a few months.

The Guardian - Opinion

In her small but rich book on the essentials of CRN, Doyle conceptually described CRN thus: "the CRN must be a self-organising system - it understands the context it finds itself in and can configure itself in response to a given set of requirements in an autonomous fashion.

EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking

Only when Wall Street reforms itself, when it understands all of us -- Main Street and Wall Street -- are in the same boat together and vows not to capsize us again, can trust return to the system.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "it understands itself" when describing the capacity of an entity (like an AI or an organization) to analyze and comprehend its own operations, nature, or behavior. This emphasizes a level of self-awareness and reflective capability.

Common error

Avoid using "it understands itself" when you actually mean that 'it' understands something external to itself. Self-understanding implies an internal awareness, while understanding something else implies an external comprehension. Ensure the pronoun references the entity doing the understanding.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "it understands itself" functions as a descriptor, indicating a subject's capacity for self-awareness and introspection. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness. Examples show its use in discussing artificial intelligence, societal concepts, and organizational behavior.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Encyclopedias

33%

Science

33%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "it understands itself" is a grammatically sound phrase used to describe a subject's capacity for self-awareness and internal comprehension. Ludwig AI affirms its correctness and utility. While not overly common, it appears across diverse contexts like news media, encyclopedias and scientific discussions. The phrase communicates that an entity possesses a sophisticated level of self-knowledge, enabling it to analyze its own nature and operations. Remember to use it when referring to genuine self-understanding rather than external comprehension. Alternatives such as "it knows itself" and "it is self-aware" offer similar meanings.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

it recognizes itself

Replaces 'understands' with 'recognizes', emphasizing the act of identifying itself.

it knows itself

Substitutes 'understands' with 'knows', highlighting self-knowledge.

it comprehends its own nature

Replaces the whole phrase with a more descriptive term.

it is self-aware

Expresses the same idea using a direct adjective.

it grasps its own essence

Uses more sophisticated vocabulary to convey a similar meaning.

it perceives its own identity

Focuses on the aspect of perceiving and acknowledging self-identity.

it is conscious of itself

Emphasizes self-consciousness and awareness.

it introspects

Uses a single verb to denote self-reflection and understanding.

it analyzes itself

Highlights the act of self-analysis.

it is cognizant of its being

A more formal and philosophical way of expressing self-understanding.

FAQs

How can I use "it understands itself" in a sentence?

You can use "it understands itself" to describe a system, organization, or even a concept that has a degree of self-awareness and can analyze its own processes. For example: "The AI is improving because "it understands itself" and can identify its weaknesses."

What's the difference between "it understands itself" and "it understands it"?

"It understands itself" means that the subject is aware of its own nature, workings, or limitations. "It understands it" means the subject comprehends something external. The reflexive pronoun changes the meaning entirely.

What are some alternatives to "it understands itself"?

Depending on the context, you could use phrases like "it is self-aware", "it knows itself", or "it comprehends its own nature".

Is "it understands itself" formal or informal language?

The phrase ""it understands itself"" is generally suitable for neutral to formal contexts. While not overly technical, it's more common in analytical or descriptive writing than in casual conversation.