--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: German civility, which often seems stiff…" description: "\"German civility, which often seems stiff to us, shows an attentive and touching respect for the person that I often prefer to our offhandedness.\" — Adr..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f0/adrienne-monnier-38394_civility_german-civility-which-often-seems-stiff_552426.png" --- # German civility, which often seems stiff to us, shows an… ![“German civility, which often seems stiff to us, shows an attentive and touching respect for the person that I often prefer to our offhandedness.” quote by Adrienne Monnier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f0/adrienne-monnier-38394_civility_german-civility-which-often-seems-stiff_552426.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f0/adrienne-monnier-38394_civility_german-civility-which-often-seems-stiff_552426.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f0/adrienne-monnier-38394_civility_german-civility-which-often-seems-stiff_552426.png) > “German civility, which often seems stiff to us, shows an attentive and touching respect for the person that I often prefer to our offhandedness.” [Adrienne Monnier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-monnier/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Polite civility, though formal, shows deep respect for individuals, contrasting with casual indifference. **In simple terms:** Polite respect shows deeper care than casualness. Key Takeaway Value thoughtful respect over casualness. Themes civility respect social interaction Mood thoughtful reflective Type philosophical observational When to use this quote - formal gatherings - customer service - personal relationships Key Concepts social etiquette human dignity Questions to Reflect On - When does politeness become a barrier? - How can we balance warmth with respect? A Different Perspective Formality can feel insincere if not genuine. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Civility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civility/) [Respect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respect/) [Touching](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/touching/) ## Related quotes > [Lamar Odom is a guy we have great respect for as a person and as an all-around player in this league.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-carlisle/lamar-odom-is-a-guy-we-have-great-respect-for-as-a-person-and-as-an/) [Rick Carlisle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-carlisle/) > [“The battle for popularity is won, but the war for respect as a whole person is lost.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-pipher/the-battle-for-popularity-is-won-but-the-war-for-respect-as-a-whole/) [Mary Pipher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-pipher/) > [Ending it in person shows that you have respect for the person and the relationship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mazher/ending-it-in-person-shows-that-you-have-respect-for-the-person-and/) [Mazher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mazher/) > [I have wisdom of a 60-year-old. Also it takes a lot for me to respect a person, so when a person has a body…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rani-mukerji/i-have-wisdom-of-a-60-year-old-also-it-takes-a-lot-for-me-to-respect/) [Rani Mukerji](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rani-mukerji/) > [“Sometimes it's not always straightforward, but it's not always confusing either. You just have to respect a person's decisions without disrespecting them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temitayo-olami/sometimes-it-s-not-always-straightforward-but-it-s-not-always/) [Temitayo Olami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temitayo-olami/) > [Respect the person you're with. My philosophy is, if I'm not happier when I'm with you, then there's no reason for me to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miles-teller/respect-the-person-you-re-with-my-philosophy-is-if-i-m-not-happier/) [Miles Teller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miles-teller/) > [Your attitude and behavior will determine how much and what kind of respect a person will have for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashida-rowe/your-attitude-and-behavior-will-determine-how-much-and-what-kind-of/) [Rashida Rowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashida-rowe/) > [“If you don’t respect the other person, you’re gonna have a lot of trouble. If you don’t know how to compromise, you’re gonna have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/if-you-don-t-respect-the-other-person-you-re-gonna-have-a-lot-of/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [No one deserves any more respect than the other person until they prove themselves unworthy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frankie-faison/no-one-deserves-any-more-respect-than-the-other-person-until-they/) [Frankie Faison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frankie-faison/) > [Always regard every man as an end in himself, and never use him merely as a means to your ends \[i.e., respect that each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/always-regard-every-man-as-an-end-in-himself-and-never-use-him-merely/) [Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/) > [“Show respect for the other person’s opinions. Never say, "You're wrong.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/show-respect-for-the-other-person-s-opinions-never-say-you-re-wrong/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I respect you as a person too much to respect your ridiculous beliefs.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-hari/i-respect-you-as-a-person-too-much-to-respect-your-ridiculous-beliefs/) [Johann Hari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-hari/) > [I respect a person that has had to fight and howl for his decency.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tennessee-williams/i-respect-a-person-that-has-had-to-fight-and-howl-for-his-decency/) [Tennessee Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tennessee-williams/) > [To respect a person is not possible without knowing him; care and responsibility would be blind if they were not guided by knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/to-respect-a-person-is-not-possible-without-knowing-him-care-and/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [The most important phase of living with a person: the respect for that person as an individual.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/millicent-carey-mcintosh/the-most-important-phase-of-living-with-a-person-the-respect-for-that/) Millicent Carey McIntosh ## More by Adrienne Monnier > [For the last six or seven years the circus has no longer been in fashion. That is a pity. One should go to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-monnier/for-the-last-six-or-seven-years-the-circus-has-no-longer-been-in/) [Adrienne Monnier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-monnier/) > [In my opinion what distinguishes the Bible from the other books is its sense of time. Its first concern is to establish a calendar.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-monnier/in-my-opinion-what-distinguishes-the-bible-from-the-other-books-is/) [Adrienne Monnier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-monnier/) > [Abstract art: a construction site for high fashion, for advertising, for furniture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-monnier/abstract-art-a-construction-site-for-high-fashion-for-advertising-for/) [Adrienne Monnier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-monnier/) > [The sight or sound of perfect things causes a certain suffering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-monnier/the-sight-or-sound-of-perfect-things-causes-a-certain-suffering/) [Adrienne Monnier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-monnier/) > [Gaiety is forgetfulness of the self, melancholy is memory of the self: in that state the soul feels all the power of its roots,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-monnier/gaiety-is-forgetfulness-of-the-self-melancholy-is-memory-of-the-self/) [Adrienne Monnier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-monnier/) > [Unkindness almost always stands for the displeasure that one has in oneself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-monnier/unkindness-almost-always-stands-for-the-displeasure-that-one-has-in/) [Adrienne Monnier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-monnier/) > [One attacks those who possess things that one does not possess. The attack is all the more savage because the one who attacks is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-monnier/one-attacks-those-who-possess-things-that-one-does-not-possess-the/) [Adrienne Monnier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-monnier/) > [I am not sure that Christ would have been very satisfied to foresee that He would be looked upon principally as a redeemer and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-monnier/i-am-not-sure-that-christ-would-have-been-very-satisfied-to-foresee/) [Adrienne Monnier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-monnier/) > [It matters less to venerate things than to live with them on terms of good friendship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-monnier/it-matters-less-to-venerate-things-than-to-live-with-them-on-terms-of/) [Adrienne Monnier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-monnier/) > [Our present-day artists do not transform, they deform. That gives pleasure to nobody. It changes everything, therefore it changes nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-monnier/our-present-day-artists-do-not-transform-they-deform-that-gives/) [Adrienne Monnier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-monnier/) > [I can easily do without people (there are days when I could easily do without myself), and ... in the country of books where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-monnier/i-can-easily-do-without-people-there-are-days-when-i-could-easily-do/) [Adrienne Monnier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-monnier/) [Explore all 12 Adrienne Monnier quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-monnier/) ## More Civility quotes > [There is nothing that we can properly call our own but our time, and yet everybody fools us out of it who has a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/there-is-nothing-that-we-can-properly-call-our-own-but-our-time-and/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [Most adults would not dream of belittling, humiliating, or bullying (verbally or physically) another adult. But many of the same adults think nothing of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-steinberg/most-adults-would-not-dream-of-belittling-humiliating-or-bullying/) [Laurence Steinberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-steinberg/) > [Martha Stewart contributes more to our civility than the Baptist Church.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-hickey/martha-stewart-contributes-more-to-our-civility-than-the-baptist/) [Dave Hickey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-hickey/) > [The Second World War had a precipitating effect in that it discredited the empires, as well as bankrupting them. Not only could you no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-judt/the-second-world-war-had-a-precipitating-effect-in-that-it/) [Tony Judt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-judt/) > [How much wit, good-nature, indulgences, how many good offices and civilities, are required among friends to accomplish in some years what a lovely face…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/how-much-wit-good-nature-indulgences-how-many-good-offices-and/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [They parted at last with mutual civility, and possibly a mutual desire of never meeting again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-austen/they-parted-at-last-with-mutual-civility-and-possibly-a-mutual-desire/) [Jane Austen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-austen/) > [“When someone has wronged you, continue to treat them with civility. It’s the ultimate mark of a mensch.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruna-martinuzzi/when-someone-has-wronged-you-continue-to-treat-them-with-civility-it/) [Bruna Martinuzzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruna-martinuzzi/) > [“Elizabeth received them with all the forbearance of civility”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-austen/elizabeth-received-them-with-all-the-forbearance-of-civility/) [Jane Austen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-austen/) > [“Never in England were there so many gentlemen and so little gentleness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-sansom/never-in-england-were-there-so-many-gentlemen-and-so-little-gentleness/) [C.J. Sansom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-sansom/) > [The insolent civility of a proud man is, if possible, more shocking than his rudeness could be; because he shows you, by his manner,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/the-insolent-civility-of-a-proud-man-is-if-possible-more-shocking/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) > [A good word is an easy obligation; but not to speak ill requires only our silence, which costs us nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tillotson/a-good-word-is-an-easy-obligation-but-not-to-speak-ill-requires-only/) [John Tillotson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tillotson/) > ['Playboy' operated with a patina of civility that granted the average man a presumption of pleasure that went one way - his. And that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-morris/playboy-operated-with-a-patina-of-civility-that-granted-the-average/) [Wesley Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wesley-morris/) > [ \[T\]he politically correct are above the rules of ordinary civility, once they have identified you as an unbeliever in their religion. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/t-he-politically-correct-are-above-the-rules-of-ordinary-civility/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [Sanctions alone could not stop Iran's nuclear program. But they did help bring Iran to the negotiating table.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/sanctions-alone-could-not-stop-iran-s-nuclear-program-but-they-did/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Even here in America, we felt the cool, refreshing breeze of freedom when Nelson Mandela took the seat of Presidency in his country where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/even-here-in-america-we-felt-the-cool-refreshing-breeze-of-freedom/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) [Browse all 393 Civility quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civility/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "German civility, which often seems stiff to us, shows an attentive and touching respect for the person that I often prefer to our offhandedness.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Adrienne Monnier" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-monnier/german-civility-which-often-seems-stiff-to-us-shows-an-attentive-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Civility" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-monnier/german-civility-which-often-seems-stiff-to-us-shows-an-attentive-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f0/adrienne-monnier-38394_civility_german-civility-which-often-seems-stiff_552426.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f0/adrienne-monnier-38394_civility_german-civility-which-often-seems-stiff_552426.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f0/adrienne-monnier-38394_civility_german-civility-which-often-seems-stiff_552426.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“German civility, which often seems stiff to us, shows an attentive and touching respect for the person that…” — Adrienne Monnier", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Adrienne Monnier", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-monnier/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "German civility, which often seems stiff...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-monnier/german-civility-which-often-seems-stiff-to-us-shows-an-attentive-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-monnier/german-civility-which-often-seems-stiff-to-us-shows-an-attentive-and/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```