Understanding the Pareto Principle

The Pareto Principle, also known as the 80-20 rule, illustrates that a small percentage of causes or inputs are responsible for the majority of effects or outcomes. Historically, this principle was identified by economist Vilfredo Pareto, who noted that a significant proportion of Italy's wealth was concentrated in the hands of a minority. This concept has been widely applied across different fields, including economics, engineering, and even language learning. For language acquisition, it suggests that focusing on a limited set of high-frequency words can yield substantial gains in comprehension and fluency.