--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Donald Trump himself has an idiosyncratic…" description: "\"Donald Trump himself has an idiosyncratic speaking style that relies on simple words and phrases, which worked for him in the primaries but may be comi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bda/ben-zimmer-47215_language_donald-trump-himself-has-an-idiosyncrati_2208660.jpg" --- # Donald Trump himself has an idiosyncratic speaking style… ![“Donald Trump himself has an idiosyncratic speaking style that relies on simple words and phrases, which worked for him in the primaries but may be coming up short for him now.” quote by Ben Zimmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bda/ben-zimmer-47215_language_donald-trump-himself-has-an-idiosyncrati_2208660.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bda/ben-zimmer-47215_language_donald-trump-himself-has-an-idiosyncrati_2208660.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bda/ben-zimmer-47215_language_donald-trump-himself-has-an-idiosyncrati_2208660.jpg) > “Donald Trump himself has an idiosyncratic speaking style that relies on simple words and phrases, which worked for him in the primaries but may be coming up short for him now.” [Ben Zimmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-zimmer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Trump’s simple, repetitive speech helped early but may now be insufficient. **In simple terms:** Simple speech helped early, now may falter. Key Takeaway Adapt communication style to audience. Themes political rhetoric communication style public perception Mood critical analytical Type political observational When to use this quote - campaign speeches - debates - interviews Key Concepts messaging strategy media analysis Questions to Reflect On - When does simplicity become a liability? - How can leaders evolve their rhetoric? A Different Perspective Simplistic language can be perceived as shallow. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Donald trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/donald-trump/) [Idiosyncratic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idiosyncratic-367549/) [Idiosyncratic Speaking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idiosyncratic-speaking-4881013/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Phrases](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/phrases/) [Primaries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/primaries/) [Rely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rely/) [Simple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/simple/) [Simple words](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/simple-words/) [Speaking Style](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speaking-style-2405086/) [Style](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/style/) [Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trump/) [Trump Idiosyncratic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trump-idiosyncratic-4881012/) ## Related quotes > [“When your speaking style is clear, confident, and concise, your listeners will perceive you as such.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-c-young/when-your-speaking-style-is-clear-confident-and-concise-your/) [Susan C. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-c-young/) > [Some of the aspects of my speaking style are inherited and come naturally to me. I didn't take classes, and I didn't do anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernice-king/some-of-the-aspects-of-my-speaking-style-are-inherited-and-come/) [Bernice King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernice-king/) > [My speaking style was criticised by no less an authority than Arnold Schwarzenegger. It was a low moment, my friends, to have my rhetorical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-johnson/my-speaking-style-was-criticised-by-no-less-an-authority-than-arnold/) [Boris Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-johnson/) > [I always say, 'What if you had to sell the house tomorrow?' And if it's too idiosyncratic, someone won't buy it and then it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaquelin-t-robertson/i-always-say-what-if-you-had-to-sell-the-house-tomorrow-and-if-it-s/) [Jaquelin T. Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaquelin-t-robertson/) > [Like the rest of us, Tom Paulin is a bundle of contradictions. At its finest, his work is brave, adventurous, original and wonderfully idiosyncratic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-eagleton/like-the-rest-of-us-tom-paulin-is-a-bundle-of-contradictions-at-its/) [Terry Eagleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-eagleton/) > [Learning to write . . . is a desperately idiosyncratic, eccentric, single-souled, lifelong quest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-lott/learning-to-write-is-a-desperately-idiosyncratic-eccentric-single/) [Bret Lott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-lott/) > [“I often learn more from one person's highly idiosyncratic experiences than I do from sources that detail universal practices or cite up-to-date studies.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/i-often-learn-more-from-one-person-s-highly-idiosyncratic-experiences/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [“He always had to act in an obnoxiously idiosyncratic way.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-o-neill/he-always-had-to-act-in-an-obnoxiously-idiosyncratic-way/) [Heather O'Neill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-o-neill/) > [What matters in literature in the end is surely the idiosyncratic, the individual, the flavor or the color of a particular human suffering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-bloom/what-matters-in-literature-in-the-end-is-surely-the-idiosyncratic-the/) [Harold Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-bloom/) > [Creativity is to discover a question that has never been asked. If one brings up an idiosyncratic question, the answer he gives will necessarily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenya-hara/creativity-is-to-discover-a-question-that-has-never-been-asked-if-one/) [Kenya Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenya-hara/) > [It's come around to that point of view at the end of a long evolutionary process, in which the rule of law has slowly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-taibbi/it-s-come-around-to-that-point-of-view-at-the-end-of-a-long/) [Matt Taibbi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-taibbi/) > [What appears on the page comes out of your experience, and no-one is going to see it in quite the same way - so,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-frame/what-appears-on-the-page-comes-out-of-your-experience-and-no-one-is/) [Ronald Frame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-frame/) > [I like to think that I'm a populist entertainer, but I'm a little bit idiosyncratic, and sometimes the networks wouldn't really roll with that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/i-like-to-think-that-i-m-a-populist-entertainer-but-i-m-a-little-bit/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) > [During my study of happiness, I noticed something that surprised me: I often learn more from one person's highly idiosyncratic experiences than I do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/during-my-study-of-happiness-i-noticed-something-that-surprised-me-i/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [While photography is the easiest medium in which to be competent, it is the hardest in which to develop an idiosyncratic personal vision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-close/while-photography-is-the-easiest-medium-in-which-to-be-competent-it/) [Chuck Close](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-close/) ## More by Ben Zimmer > [When words come out of politician's mouth that are linguistically incorrect, people see it reflecting their intelligence. Sarah Palin was called out for "refudiate,"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-zimmer/when-words-come-out-of-politician-s-mouth-that-are-linguistically/) [Ben Zimmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-zimmer/) > [Sometimes people are primed to hear in a certain way. When a word like braggadocious suddenly appears, it's like, 'What, is he just making…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-zimmer/sometimes-people-are-primed-to-hear-in-a-certain-way-when-a-word-like/) [Ben Zimmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-zimmer/) > [ Even if you close your eyes, you'll still hear Donald Trump sniffing. Linguists might call \[these visuals\] paralinguistics, every form of information including facial… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-zimmer/even-if-you-close-your-eyes-you-ll-still-hear-donald-trump-sniffing/) [Ben Zimmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-zimmer/) > [Donald Trump speaks extemporaneously, often through stream of consciousness, where it doesn't seem to follow a trajectory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-zimmer/donald-trump-speaks-extemporaneously-often-through-stream-of/) [Ben Zimmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-zimmer/) > [Hillary Clinton has been portrayed as robotic, someone who is trying to approximate real human emotion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-zimmer/hillary-clinton-has-been-portrayed-as-robotic-someone-who-is-trying/) [Ben Zimmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-zimmer/) > [Even though a definite article is supposed to bring something into focus, Donald Trump uses it in a very general way. It's seen by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-zimmer/even-though-a-definite-article-is-supposed-to-bring-something-into/) [Ben Zimmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-zimmer/) > [Weaponization of a candidate's words against him or her is something we're seeing a lot. The term Obamacare was used against Obama in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-zimmer/weaponization-of-a-candidate-s-words-against-him-or-her-is-something/) [Ben Zimmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-zimmer/) [Explore all 8 Ben Zimmer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-zimmer/) ## More Donald trump quotes > [I'm not here trying to convince anybody to vote for Donald Trump. I think every Christian needs to make up his own mind about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jeffress/i-m-not-here-trying-to-convince-anybody-to-vote-for-donald-trump-i/) [Robert Jeffress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jeffress/) > [ Vote for Donald Trump. You're going to see something and you'll be so happy, you'll be so thrilled. This \[presidential\] election is about every… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/vote-for-donald-trump-you-re-going-to-see-something-and-you-ll-be-so/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [We're going to create factory jobs for recent immigrants, and Donald Trump is going to take care of them. That's why his numbers, even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-sessions/we-re-going-to-create-factory-jobs-for-recent-immigrants-and-donald/) [Jeff Sessions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-sessions/) > [When it comes to bullying small businesses, Donald Trump is the poster boy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/when-it-comes-to-bullying-small-businesses-donald-trump-is-the-poster/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [Donald Trump is a different ball of wax. I've been trying to say for I don't know how many months now that the traditional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/donald-trump-is-a-different-ball-of-wax-i-ve-been-trying-to-say-for-i/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Donald Trump has been rewriting the rules since he got into politics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-michael-cillizza/donald-trump-has-been-rewriting-the-rules-since-he-got-into-politics/) [Christopher Michael Cillizza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-michael-cillizza/) > [Donald Trump is temperamentally unfit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/donald-trump-is-temperamentally-unfit/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [At minimum, we must recognize that there are legitimate, unanswered questions about whether the Obama Justice Department involved themselves in a political project targeting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-meadows/at-minimum-we-must-recognize-that-there-are-legitimate-unanswered/) [Mark Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-meadows/) > [ Donald Trump has opened \[ politically correct enforcement\] up wide. He's made a very bold statement and he's backed it back just a little… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/donald-trump-has-opened-politically-correct-enforcement-up-wide-he-s/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [Donald Trump doesn't necessarily stay mad for very long. He's a transactional guy. If you can offer him something, he will take it. Or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-wolff/donald-trump-doesn-t-necessarily-stay-mad-for-very-long-he-s-a/) [Michael Wolff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-wolff/) > [Donald Trump so far is sending a signal that he's going to run the government like his business and maybe that's going to work.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-o-reilly/donald-trump-so-far-is-sending-a-signal-that-he-s-going-to-run-the/) [Bill O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-o-reilly/) > [ If \[Donald\] Trump throws 20 million off of health care, that's going to be - if he handles this badly - and it's very… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/if-donald-trump-throws-20-million-off-of-health-care-that-s-going-to/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [Donald Trump is not going to be the nominee, because we are not going to allow - people will wake up and we're not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/donald-trump-is-not-going-to-be-the-nominee-because-we-are-not-going/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [If we turn our backs on the remaining industries and not reinvest in these places and just say 'You're on your own,' we will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fetterman/if-we-turn-our-backs-on-the-remaining-industries-and-not-reinvest-in/) [John Fetterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fetterman/) > [ \[Donald Trump\] knows he's going to get hit, though. He's the president. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megyn-kelly/donald-trump-knows-he-s-going-to-get-hit-though-he-s-the-president/) [Megyn Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megyn-kelly/) [Browse all 2,538 Donald trump quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/donald-trump/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Donald Trump himself has an idiosyncratic speaking style that relies on simple words and phrases, which worked for him in the primaries but may be coming up short for him now.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ben Zimmer" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-zimmer/donald-trump-himself-has-an-idiosyncratic-speaking-style-that-relies/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Donald trump" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-zimmer/donald-trump-himself-has-an-idiosyncratic-speaking-style-that-relies/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bda/ben-zimmer-47215_language_donald-trump-himself-has-an-idiosyncrati_2208660.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bda/ben-zimmer-47215_language_donald-trump-himself-has-an-idiosyncrati_2208660.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bda/ben-zimmer-47215_language_donald-trump-himself-has-an-idiosyncrati_2208660.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Donald Trump himself has an idiosyncratic speaking style that relies on simple words and phrases, which…” — Ben Zimmer", "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": "Ben Zimmer", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-zimmer/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Donald Trump himself has an idiosyncratic...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-zimmer/donald-trump-himself-has-an-idiosyncratic-speaking-style-that-relies/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-zimmer/donald-trump-himself-has-an-idiosyncratic-speaking-style-that-relies/#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 } } ] } ```