--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To use strong language, she thought, was…" description: "\"“To use strong language, she thought, was a sign of bad temper and lack of concern for others. Such people were not clever or bold simply because they ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb5/alexander-mccall-smith-372_bad-temper_to-use-strong-language-she-thought-was-a_12281.png" --- # To use strong language, she thought, was a sign of bad… ![“To use strong language, she thought, was a sign of bad temper and lack of concern for others. Such people were not clever or bold simply because they used such language; each time they opened their mouths they proclaimed I am a person who is poor in words.” quote by Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb5/alexander-mccall-smith-372_bad-temper_to-use-strong-language-she-thought-was-a_12281.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb5/alexander-mccall-smith-372_bad-temper_to-use-strong-language-she-thought-was-a_12281.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb5/alexander-mccall-smith-372_bad-temper_to-use-strong-language-she-thought-was-a_12281.png) > ““To use strong language, she thought, was a sign of bad temper and lack of concern for others. Such people were not clever or bold simply because they used such language; each time they opened their mouths they proclaimed I am a person who is poor in words.”” [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote critiques the belief that using forceful language reflects poor temperament and insensitivity, arguing that eloquence is not a measure of intelligence or courage. **In simple terms:** Language style doesn't define character. Key Takeaway Words don't dictate worth. Themes communication perception self‑expression judgment language Mood thoughtful critical reflective Type observation philosophical When to use this quote - public speaking - written arguments - interpersonal conflict - media commentary Key Concepts stereotypes self‑esteem social perception Practical Applications - writing coaching - communication training Questions to Reflect On - How does language choice affect how we are judged? - Can restraint in speech be mistaken for weakness? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bad temper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-temper/) [Concern for others](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/concern-for-others/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Opened Mouths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opened-mouths-370915/) [Poor Words](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poor-words-370912/) [Strong Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strong-language-370913/) [Used Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/used-language-370914/) ## Related quotes > [Here are the facts: my folks grew up so poor that, in the words of Redd Foxx, there were twenty o's between the p…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-young/here-are-the-facts-my-folks-grew-up-so-poor-that-in-the-words-of-redd/) [Kevin Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-young/) > [I believe that God and reality are too big for my poor words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-buckley/i-believe-that-god-and-reality-are-too-big-for-my-poor-words/) [Pat Buckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-buckley/) > [“When we were babies, we didn’t smile sweetly at our mothers to get them to take care of us. We didn’t pinpoint our discomfort…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harville-hendrix/when-we-were-babies-we-didn-t-smile-sweetly-at-our-mothers-to-get/) [Harville Hendrix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harville-hendrix/) > [“i am poor in words but rich in heart”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-k-mwangi/i-am-poor-in-words-but-rich-in-heart/) [Ian K Mwangi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-k-mwangi/) > [“We live in a world in which people are censured, demoted, imprisoned, beheaded, simply because they have opened their mouths, flapped their lips, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-gilbert/we-live-in-a-world-in-which-people-are-censured-demoted-imprisoned/) [Daniel Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-gilbert/) > [“Everywhere around us, they spoke in a dialect so private, so intimate to my ears, that every time they opened their mouths, there was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaiutra-bahadur/everywhere-around-us-they-spoke-in-a-dialect-so-private-so-intimate/) [Gaiutra Bahadur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaiutra-bahadur/) > [This is another thing which I really like investigating in my novels: what is it that makes an intimate society, that makes a society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/this-is-another-thing-which-i-really-like-investigating-in-my-novels/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [“She could turn away and say that they had nothing to do with her, or she could accept that they had somehow touched her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/she-could-turn-away-and-say-that-they-had-nothing-to-do-with-her-or/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [I think that we've made great moral progress in the second half of the 20th century in many respects, and particularly in relation to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/i-think-that-we-ve-made-great-moral-progress-in-the-second-half-of/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [We often use strong language not to express a powerful emotion but to evoke it in us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/we-often-use-strong-language-not-to-express-a-powerful-emotion-but-to/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [“It is strong language, but true. None of us could \_live\_ with an habitual truthteller; but thank goodness none of us has to.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/it-is-strong-language-but-true-none-of-us-could-live-with-an-habitual/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [For me, nudity and strong language have never been huge loadbearing elements of how I like to tell a story. Graphic images certainly are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-fuller/for-me-nudity-and-strong-language-have-never-been-huge-loadbearing/) [Bryan Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-fuller/) > [Now, mark it. This may be strong language, but heed it. The people mean it, and, my friends of the Eastern Democracy, we bid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/now-mark-it-this-may-be-strong-language-but-heed-it-the-people-mean/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Whether Trump knew it or not, his strong language tapped into evangelical beliefs about the 'last days' and America's role in biblical prophecy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthea-butler/whether-trump-knew-it-or-not-his-strong-language-tapped-into/) [Anthea Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthea-butler/) > [“Those who boggle at strong language are cowards, because it is real life which is shocking them, and weaklings like that are the very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaroslav-ha-ek/those-who-boggle-at-strong-language-are-cowards-because-it-is-real/) [Jaroslav Hašek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaroslav-ha-ek/) ## More by Alexander McCall Smith > [“old-fashioned, gentle Scottish physician, unmoved by the considerations of profit and personal gain that could so disfigure medicine. That doctors should consider themselves businessmen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/old-fashioned-gentle-scottish-physician-unmoved-by-the-considerations/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [“She had not made a lot of money, but she had not made a loss, and she had been happy and entertained. That counted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/she-had-not-made-a-lot-of-money-but-she-had-not-made-a-loss-and-she/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [And that, in a way, was the burden of being a philosopher: one knew what one had to do, but it was so often…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/and-that-in-a-way-was-the-burden-of-being-a-philosopher-one-knew-what/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [“Men are very sensitive, Mma Makutsi. You would not always think it to look at them, but they are. They do not like you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/men-are-very-sensitive-mma-makutsi-you-would-not-always-think-it-to/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [“He is a good man, but even a good man can fall for a glamorous woman. That is well known.” “That is very well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/he-is-a-good-man-but-even-a-good-man-can-fall-for-a-glamorous-woman/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [“And then the second thing you have to do is go and see your son. That is a duty of love, Andrew. It's as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/and-then-the-second-thing-you-have-to-do-is-go-and-see-your-son-that/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [“Because laughs never die away entirely,” said Jamie. “At least, if you believe in Marconi.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/because-laughs-never-die-away-entirely-said-jamie-at-least-if-you/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [“The trouble with having a conscience, she said to herself, is that it never sleeps.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/the-trouble-with-having-a-conscience-she-said-to-herself-is-that-it/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [“And if there's bad behaviour," Mma Potokwane went on. "If there's bad behaviour, the quickest way of stopping it is to give more love.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/and-if-there-s-bad-behaviour-mma-potokwane-went-on-if-there-s-bad/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [“We never realise how transparent we are.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/we-never-realise-how-transparent-we-are/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [“Has he not got a wife back wherever he comes from? Is there no wife to say, ‘You must not go off and visit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/has-he-not-got-a-wife-back-wherever-he-comes-from-is-there-no-wife-to/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [“He looked at her in the darkness, at this woman who was everything to him-mother, Africa, wisdom, understanding, good things to eat, pumpkins, chicken,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/he-looked-at-her-in-the-darkness-at-this-woman-who-was-everything-to/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [“It is because you are generous in spirit; and may I be like that; may I become like you—which unrealistic wish, to become the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/it-is-because-you-are-generous-in-spirit-and-may-i-be-like-that-may-i/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [“Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni,” she asked, “do you think that our souls grow as we get older?” He did not answer immediately, but when he did,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/mr-j-l-b-matekoni-she-asked-do-you-think-that-our-souls-grow-as-we/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [Each of us is born into our own mysteries but the mystery of another might just take us in and embrace us. And then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/each-of-us-is-born-into-our-own-mysteries-but-the-mystery-of-another/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) [Explore all 628 Alexander McCall Smith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) ## More Bad temper quotes > [If a man is crossing the river and an empty boat collides with his skiff, even though he is a bad tempered man he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhuangzi/if-a-man-is-crossing-the-river-and-an-empty-boat-collides-with-his/) [Zhuangzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhuangzi/) > [Truths of life¦ The most beautiful day: Today The easiest thing: Equivocate The biggest obstacle: Fear The gravest error: give up, to despair The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/truths-of-life-the-most-beautiful-day-today-the-easiest-thing/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“For example, if a man with a bad temper has been provoked, then he will surely start shouting or start a fight. You could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-t-rivers/for-example-if-a-man-with-a-bad-temper-has-been-provoked-then-he-will/) [Clarence T. Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-t-rivers/) > [A man of bad character punishes his own soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-ghazali/a-man-of-bad-character-punishes-his-own-soul/) [Al-Ghazali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-ghazali/) > [Nah, I don't have a bad temper. I just have a quick reaction to bullshit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/nah-i-don-t-have-a-bad-temper-i-just-have-a-quick-reaction-to-bullshit/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“So long as I perceive the world as hostile, I remain linked to it: \*I am not crazy\*. But sometimes, once my bad temper…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roland-barthes/so-long-as-i-perceive-the-world-as-hostile-i-remain-linked-to-it-i-am/) [Roland Barthes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roland-barthes/) > [“He was very interested in everything that lay to the North because no one ever went that way and he was never allowed to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/he-was-very-interested-in-everything-that-lay-to-the-north-because-no/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [Bad temper is its own scourge. Few things are more bitter than to feel bitter. A man's venom poisons himself more than his victim.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-buxton/bad-temper-is-its-own-scourge-few-things-are-more-bitter-than-to-feel/) [Charles Buxton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-buxton/) > [“The truth is that I will always need you more than you need me. It’s also the truth that I’m not a good bet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-morton/the-truth-is-that-i-will-always-need-you-more-than-you-need-me-it-s/) [Lily Morton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-morton/) > [“If a man crosses a river and an empty boat collides with his own skiff, Even though he be bad tempered man He will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuang-tzu-2/if-a-man-crosses-a-river-and-an-empty-boat-collides-with-his-own/) [Chuang-Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuang-tzu-2/) > [Clary," Jace said again. "You know: short, redheaded, bad temper.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/clary-jace-said-again-you-know-short-redheaded-bad-temper/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [“I do think your brother grows more peculiar every day,' I complain to Edward when he comes to my rooms in Whitehall Palace to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippa-gregory/i-do-think-your-brother-grows-more-peculiar-every-day-i-complain-to/) [Philippa Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippa-gregory/) > [For me it is really important to have a story with blood in the veins, there are bad tempers and good tempers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/for-me-it-is-really-important-to-have-a-story-with-blood-in-the-veins/) [Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/) > [“You have a bad temper, Mr. Morrison.” “Get the hell off me,” Tate snarled through his teeth. “I’m not on you.” “Yes, you fucking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-frank/you-have-a-bad-temper-mr-morrison-get-the-hell-off-me-tate-snarled/) [Ella Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-frank/) > [I keep my good health by having a very bad temper, kept under good control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/i-keep-my-good-health-by-having-a-very-bad-temper-kept-under-good/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) [Browse all 93 Bad temper quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-temper/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“To use strong language, she thought, was a sign of bad temper and lack of concern for others. 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