He who knows little knows enough if he knows how to hold is tongue.
—Italian Proverb
Speakers who talk about what life has taught them never fail to keep the attention of their listeners.
—Dale Carnegie (1888–1955) American Self-Help Author
Nature, which gave us two eyes to see and two ears to hear, has given us but one tongue to speak.
—Jonathan Swift (1667–1745) Irish Satirist
If you have an important point to make, don’t try to be subtle or clever. Use the pile driver. Hit the point once. Then come back and hit it again. Then hit it a third time; a tremendous whack.
—Winston Churchill (1874–1965) British Head of State, Political leader, Historian, Journalist, Author
Do not speak harshly to anybody; those who are spoken to will answer thee in the same way. Angry speech is painful, blows for blows will touch thee.
—The Dhammapada Buddhist Anthology of Verses
Talk low, talk slow, and don’t say too much.
—John Wayne (1907–79) American Actor, Director, Producer
Little said is soon amended. There is always time to add a word, never to withdraw one.
—Baltasar Gracian (1601–58) Spanish Scholar, Prose Writer
An orator who is disposed to evil subverts the law.
—Unknown
In a free and republican government, you cannot restrain the voice of the multitude. Every man will speak as he thinks, or, more properly, without thinking, and consequently will judge of effects without attending to their causes.
—George Washington (1732–99) American Head of State, Military Leader
A closed mouth catches no flies.
—French Proverb
Get out of here and leave me alone. Last words are for fools who haven’t said enough already.
—Karl Marx (1818–1883) German Philosopher, Economist
Two great talkers will not travel far together.
—Spanish Proverb
The relationship of the toastmaster to the speaker should be the same as that of the fan to the fan dancer. It should call attention to the subject without making any particular effort to cover it.
—Adlai Stevenson (1900–65) American Diplomat, Politician, Orator
It is terrible to speak well and be wrong.
—Sophocles (495–405 BCE) Ancient Greek Dramatist
Men govern nothing with more difficulty than their tongues, and can moderate their desires more than their words.
—Baruch Spinoza (1632–77) Dutch Philosopher, Theologian
Be still when you have nothing to say; when genuine passion moves you, say what you’ve got to say, and say it hot.
—D. H. Lawrence (1885–1930) English Novelist, Playwright, Poet, Essayist, Literary Critic
I don’t care how much a person talks, if they only say it in a few words.
—Josh Billings (Henry Wheeler Shaw) (1818–85) American Humorist, Author, Lecturer
Be interesting, be enthusiastic… and don’t talk to much.
—Norman Vincent Peale (1898–1993) American Clergyman, Self-Help Author
First learn the meaning of what you say, and then speak..
—Epictetus (55–135) Ancient Greek Philosopher
A man does not know what he is saying until he knows what he is not saying.
—G. K. Chesterton (1874–1936) English Journalist, Novelist, Essayist, Poet
It is the first rule in oratory that a man must appear such as he would persuade others to be; and that can be accomplished only by the force of his life.
—Jonathan Swift (1667–1745) Irish Satirist
All pleasantry should be short; and it might even be as well were the serious short also.
—Voltaire (1694–1778) French Philosopher, Author
Some people approach every problem with an open mouth.
—Adlai Stevenson (1900–65) American Diplomat, Politician, Orator
Tell the audience what you’re going to say, say it; then tell them what you’ve said.
—Dale Carnegie (1888–1955) American Self-Help Author
A good portion of speaking will consist in knowing how to lie.
—Desiderius Erasmus (c.1469–1536) Dutch Humanist, Scholar
Is sloppiness in speech caused by ignorance or apathy? I don’t know and I don’t care.
—William Safire (1929–2009) American Columnist, Journalist, Author, Speechwriter
Don’t speak unless you can improve on the silence.
—Spanish Proverb
A good speaker makes a good liar.
—German Proverb
A smart person knows what to say, a wise person knows whether or not to say it.
—Unknown
Be sincere, be brief; be seated.
—Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882–1945) American Head of State, Lawyer