There cannot be a greater rudeness than to interrupt another in the current of his discourse.
—John Locke (1632–1704) English Philosopher, Physician
To talk without thinking is to shoot without aiming.
—English Proverb
I prefer tongue-tied knowledge to ignorant loquacity.
—Cicero (106BCE–43BCE) Roman Philosopher, Orator, Politician, Lawyer
They are eloquent who can speak low things acutely, and of great things with dignity, and of moderate things with temper.
—Cicero (106BCE–43BCE) Roman Philosopher, Orator, Politician, Lawyer
Better pointed bullets than pointed speeches.
—Otto von Bismarck (1815–98) German Chancellor, Prime Minister
The primary use of conversation is to satisfy the impulse to talk.
—George Santayana (1863–1952) Spanish-American Poet, Philosopher
Never talk for half a minute without pausing and giving others a chance to join in.
—Sydney Smith (1771–1845) English Clergyman, Essayist, Wit
To acquire immunity to eloquence is of the utmost importance to the citizens of a democracy.
—Bertrand A. Russell (1872–1970) British Philosopher, Mathematician, Social Critic
Talk to every woman as if you loved her, and to every man as if he bored you, and at the end of your first season you will have the reputation of possessing the most perfect social tact.
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet, Playwright
Nobody ever listened himself out of a job.
—Calvin Coolidge (1872–1933) American Head of State, Lawyer
There is no index so sure as the voice.
—Tancred
Conceit causes more conversation than wit.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld (1613–80) French Writer
A man’s style is his mind’s voice. Wooden minds, wooden voices.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
The habit of common and continuous speech is a symptom of mental deficiency. It proceeds from not knowing what is going on in other people’s minds.
—Walter Bagehot (1826–77) English Economist, Journalist
I’ve decided to discontinue my long talks. It’s because of my throat. Someone threatened to cut it.
—Unknown
It is the still, small voice that the soul heeds, not the deafening blasts of doom.
—William Dean Howells (1837–1920) American Novelist, Critic
The first ingredient in conversation is truth; the next, good sense; the third, good humor; and the fourth, wit.
—William Temple (1881–1944) British Clergyman, Theologian
Wherever the relevance of speech is at stake, matters become political by definition, for speech is what makes man a political being.
—Hannah Arendt (1906–75) German-American Philosopher, Political Theorist
You have such strong words at command, that they make the smallest argument seem formidable.
—George Eliot (Mary Anne Evans) (1819–80) English Novelist
The tone of good conversation is brilliant and natural.—It is neither tedious nor frivolous.—It is instructive without pedantry; gay, without tumultuousness; polished, without affectation; gallant, without insipidity; waggish, without equivocation.
—Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712–78) Swiss-born French Philosopher
Speak well of every one if you speak of them at all—none of us are so very good.
—Elbert Hubbard (1856–1915) American Writer, Publisher, Artist, Philosopher
No one is qualified to converse in public except those contented to do without such conversation.
—Thomas a Kempis (1379–1471) German Religious Priest, Writer
A gossip is one who talks to you about others; a bore is one who talks to you about himself; and a brilliant conversationalist is one who talks to you about yourself.
—Lisa Kirk (1925–1990) American Stage, Film, Television Performer
Well, well, perhaps I am a bit of a talker. A popular fellow such as I am—my friends get round me—we chaff, we sparkle, we tell witty stories—and somehow my tongue gets wagging. I have the gift of conversation. I’ve been told I ought to have a salon, whatever that may be.
—Kenneth Grahame (1859–1932) Scottish Children’s Writer
Can we talk?
—Joan Rivers (1933–2014) American Comedienne, Writer
There are remarks that sow and remarks that reap.
—Ludwig Wittgenstein (1889–1951) Austrian-born British Philosopher
They that are loudest in their threats are the weakest in the execution of them. It is probable that he who is killed by lightning hears no noise; but the thunder-clap which follows, and which most alarms the ignorant, is the surest proof of their safety.
—Charles Caleb Colton (c.1780–1832) English Clergyman, Aphorist
The only happy talkers are dandies who extract pleasure from the very perishability of their material and who would not be able to tolerate the isolation of all other forms of composition; for most good talkers, when they have run down, are miserable; they know that they have betrayed themselves, that they have taken material which should have a life of its own, to dispense it in noises upon the air.
—Cyril Connolly (1903–74) British Literary Critic, Writer
A good memory and a tongue tied in the middle is a combination which gives immortality to conversation.
—Mark Twain (1835–1910) American Humorist
We forget that we are all dead men conversing with dead men.
—Jorge Luis Borges (1899–1986) Argentine Writer, Essayist, Poet