--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Keep skid chains on your tongue. Say less…" description: "\"Keep skid chains on your tongue. Say less than you think. Cultivate a pleasant voice. How you say it is often more important than what you say.\" — Ann ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a2/ann-landers-2605_chains_keep-skid-chains-on-your-tongue-say-less_3146604.jpg" --- # Keep skid chains on your tongue. Say less than you think… ![“Keep skid chains on your tongue. Say less than you think. Cultivate a pleasant voice. How you say it is often more important than what you say.” quote by Ann Landers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a2/ann-landers-2605_chains_keep-skid-chains-on-your-tongue-say-less_3146604.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a2/ann-landers-2605_chains_keep-skid-chains-on-your-tongue-say-less_3146604.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3a2/ann-landers-2605_chains_keep-skid-chains-on-your-tongue-say-less_3146604.jpg) > “Keep skid chains on your tongue. Say less than you think. Cultivate a pleasant voice. How you say it is often more important than what you say.” [Ann Landers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-landers/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Speak thoughtfully and modulate tone, as delivery often outweighs content. **In simple terms:** How you say it matters more than what you say. Key Takeaway Mind your tone and speak less. Themes communication self‑control presentation Mood thoughtful calm Type advice practical When to use this quote - public speaking - personal relationships - leadership - conflict resolution Key Concepts tone management mindful speech Questions to Reflect On - How does your tone affect others' perception? - When should you speak more versus less? A Different Perspective Over‑cautious silence can hinder honest expression. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Chains](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chains/) [Speech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speech/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Voice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/voice/) ## Related quotes > [“The way in which we say something is often more important than what we say.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-j-harris/the-way-in-which-we-say-something-is-often-more-important-than-what/) [Sydney J. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-j-harris/) > [“While what you say to others is important, even more important is what you say to yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-s-sharma/while-what-you-say-to-others-is-important-even-more-important-is-what/) [Robin S. Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-s-sharma/) > [“If you don't say anything it can't become important, but if you say it everyone's ever after got to walk round it like a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-hensher/if-you-don-t-say-anything-it-can-t-become-important-but-if-you-say-it/) [Philip Hensher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-hensher/) > [It's not important, what you say. important is that how to say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/it-s-not-important-what-you-say-important-is-that-how-to-say/) Mak\_786 > [Its not important what you say. The important thing is how you say it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/its-not-important-what-you-say-the-important-thing-is-how-you-say-it/) Mak\_786 > [Please remember that how you say something is often more important than what you say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-malda/please-remember-that-how-you-say-something-is-often-more-important/) Rob Malda > [What we say no to is sometimes more important than what we say yes to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lara-pulver/what-we-say-no-to-is-sometimes-more-important-than-what-we-say-yes-to/) [Lara Pulver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lara-pulver/) > [Remember that how you say something is as important as what you say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jackson-brown-jr/remember-that-how-you-say-something-is-as-important-as-what-you-say/) [H. Jackson Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jackson-brown-jr/) > [When they talk about my job being important, I say, 'The important jobs are the ones that you'd notice if you left for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-quigley/when-they-talk-about-my-job-being-important-i-say-the-important-jobs/) [Mike Quigley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-quigley/) > [“It was on the tip of my tongue to say something snide, something that would hurt him, but somehow I couldn't. It would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-thornton/it-was-on-the-tip-of-my-tongue-to-say-something-snide-something-that/) [Marshall Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-thornton/) > [That man that hath a tongue, I say is no man, if with his tongue he cannot win a woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/that-man-that-hath-a-tongue-i-say-is-no-man-if-with-his-tongue-he/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Teach your tongue to say I dont know instead of making up something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/teach-your-tongue-to-say-i-dont-know-instead-of-making-up-something/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Teach thy tongue to say 'I do not know,' and thou shalt progress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maimonides/teach-thy-tongue-to-say-i-do-not-know-and-thou-shalt-progress/) [Maimonides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maimonides/) > [I haven't much opinion of words. They're apt to set fire to a dry tongue, that's what I say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-glasgow/i-haven-t-much-opinion-of-words-they-re-apt-to-set-fire-to-a-dry/) [Ellen Glasgow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-glasgow/) > [Say what you feel but think before you speak. Rather bite your tongue than say something you can't take back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/say-what-you-feel-but-think-before-you-speak-rather-bite-your-tongue/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Ann Landers > [You're all you've got.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-landers/you-re-all-you-ve-got/) [Ann Landers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-landers/) > [Sensual pleasures have the fleeting brilliance of a comet; a happy marriage has the tranquillity of a lovely sunset.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-landers/sensual-pleasures-have-the-fleeting-brilliance-of-a-comet-a-happy/) [Ann Landers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-landers/) > [Maturity: Be able to stick with a job until it is finished. Be able to bear an injustice without having to get even. Be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-landers/maturity-be-able-to-stick-with-a-job-until-it-is-finished-be-able-to/) [Ann Landers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-landers/) > [Some women have the best husbands. Others make the best of the husbands they have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-landers/some-women-have-the-best-husbands-others-make-the-best-of-the/) [Ann Landers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-landers/) > [“Expect trouble as an inevitable part of life and when it comes hold your head high look it squarely in the eye and say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-landers/expect-trouble-as-an-inevitable-part-of-life-and-when-it-comes-hold/) [Ann Landers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-landers/) > [Nobody gets to live life backward. Look ahead; that is where your future lies. Opportunities are usually disguised as hard work, so most people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-landers/nobody-gets-to-live-life-backward-look-ahead-that-is-where-your/) [Ann Landers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-landers/) > [People who care about each other enjoy doing things for one another. They don't consider it servitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-landers/people-who-care-about-each-other-enjoy-doing-things-for-one-another/) [Ann Landers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-landers/) > [guilt is a pollutant and we don't need any more of it in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-landers/guilt-is-a-pollutant-and-we-don-t-need-any-more-of-it-in-the-world/) [Ann Landers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-landers/) > [The naked truth is always better than the best-dressed lie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-landers/the-naked-truth-is-always-better-than-the-best-dressed-lie/) [Ann Landers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-landers/) > [“Don't accept your dog's admiration as conslusive evidence that your are wonderful.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-landers/don-t-accept-your-dog-s-admiration-as-conslusive-evidence-that-your/) [Ann Landers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-landers/) > [Imagine you had a bank that each morning credited your account with $1,440 - with one condition: whatever part of the $1,440 you failed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-landers/imagine-you-had-a-bank-that-each-morning-credited-your-account-with-1/) [Ann Landers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-landers/) > [Remember, it takes two to make an argument. The one who is wrong is the one who will be doing most of the talking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-landers/remember-it-takes-two-to-make-an-argument-the-one-who-is-wrong-is-the/) [Ann Landers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-landers/) > [Too many people today know the price of everything and the value of nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-landers/too-many-people-today-know-the-price-of-everything-and-the-value-of/) [Ann Landers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-landers/) > [The real question is why are millions of people so unhappy, so bored, so unfulfilled, that they are willing to drink, snort, inject or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-landers/the-real-question-is-why-are-millions-of-people-so-unhappy-so-bored/) [Ann Landers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-landers/) > [Some men have no idea how to romance a woman. However, women who teach their husbands what they like will be well-rewarded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-landers/some-men-have-no-idea-how-to-romance-a-woman-however-women-who-teach/) [Ann Landers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-landers/) [Explore all 157 Ann Landers quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-landers/) ## More Chains quotes > [Unchecked, the new tolerance will sooner or later put many people in chains.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/unchecked-the-new-tolerance-will-sooner-or-later-put-many-people-in/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) > [Somewhere somebody must have some sense. Men must see that force begets force, hate begets hate, toughness begets toughness. And it is all a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/somewhere-somebody-must-have-some-sense-men-must-see-that-force/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [The Chains of conformity click in tiresomely monotonous unison.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-sweet/the-chains-of-conformity-click-in-tiresomely-monotonous-unison/) [Leonard Sweet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-sweet/) > [The dark ages still reign over all humanity, and the depth and persistence of this domination are only now becoming clear. This Dark Ages…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-buckminster-fuller/the-dark-ages-still-reign-over-all-humanity-and-the-depth-and/) [R. Buckminster Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-buckminster-fuller/) > [I don't have a huge amount of gear, but on the software side, I have a number of plug-in chains that act as abstracted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-hopkins/i-don-t-have-a-huge-amount-of-gear-but-on-the-software-side-i-have-a/) [Jon Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-hopkins/) > [We don't have a farm-to-table food safety system. I keep saying this. It came as a big surprise to the FDA that tomatoes were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-nestle/we-don-t-have-a-farm-to-table-food-safety-system-i-keep-saying-this/) [Marion Nestle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-nestle/) > [So many times we come to Jesus in worship and ask Him for things that He already IS and has already done... What a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christy-nockels/so-many-times-we-come-to-jesus-in-worship-and-ask-him-for-things-that/) Christy Nockels > [How can I set free anyone who doesn't have the guts to stand up alone and declare his own freedom? I think it's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-morrison/how-can-i-set-free-anyone-who-doesn-t-have-the-guts-to-stand-up-alone/) [Jim Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-morrison/) > [I'm bigger than you! I'm higher on the food chain - get in my belly!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-myers/i-m-bigger-than-you-i-m-higher-on-the-food-chain-get-in-my-belly/) [Mike Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-myers/) > [The chains will fall off freely, no more worries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dl-watson/the-chains-will-fall-off-freely-no-more-worries/) DL WATSON > [I am ever mindful of the legacy of my grandfather, the founder of this Kingdom, who had said to me that he perceived his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/king-hussein-i/i-am-ever-mindful-of-the-legacy-of-my-grandfather-the-founder-of-this/) [King Hussein I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/king-hussein-i/) > [Think about it: we went into slavery pagans; we came out Christians. We went into slavery pieces of property; we came out American citizens.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/booker-t-washington/think-about-it-we-went-into-slavery-pagans-we-came-out-christians-we/) [Booker T. Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/booker-t-washington/) > [To one who is accustomed to thinking a lot, every new thought that he hears or reads about immediately appears as a link in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/to-one-who-is-accustomed-to-thinking-a-lot-every-new-thought-that-he/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Man's ethics must not end with man, but should extend to the universe. He must regain the consciousness of the great Chain of Life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-schweitzer/man-s-ethics-must-not-end-with-man-but-should-extend-to-the-universe/) [Albert Schweitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-schweitzer/) > [To sigh, yet feel no pain; To weep, yet scarce know why; To sport an hour with Beauty's chain, Then throw it idly by.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/to-sigh-yet-feel-no-pain-to-weep-yet-scarce-know-why-to-sport-an-hour/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) [Browse all 1,639 Chains quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chains/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Keep skid chains on your tongue. Say less than you think. Cultivate a pleasant voice. 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