--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: British diplomats and Anglo-American…" description: "\"“British diplomats and Anglo-American types in Washington have a near-superstitious prohibition on uttering the words 'Special Relationship' to describ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/84d/christopher-hitchens-117_anglo-americans_british-diplomats-and-anglo-american-typ_1734488.jpg" --- # British diplomats and Anglo-American types in Washington… ![“British diplomats and Anglo-American types in Washington have a near-superstitious prohibition on uttering the words 'Special Relationship' to describe relations between Britain and America, lest the specialness itself vanish like a phantom at cock-crow.” quote by Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/84d/christopher-hitchens-117_anglo-americans_british-diplomats-and-anglo-american-typ_1734488.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/84d/christopher-hitchens-117_anglo-americans_british-diplomats-and-anglo-american-typ_1734488.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/84d/christopher-hitchens-117_anglo-americans_british-diplomats-and-anglo-american-typ_1734488.jpg) > ““British diplomats and Anglo-American types in Washington have a near-superstitious prohibition on uttering the words 'Special Relationship' to describe relations between Britain and America, lest the specialness itself vanish like a phantom at cock-crow.”” [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He critiques the taboo against labeling UK‑US ties as "Special Relationship," fearing the label’s loss of meaning. **In simple terms:** He warns that naming the UK‑US bond may diminish its uniqueness. Key Takeaway Use language thoughtfully to preserve meaning. Themes politics language international relations Mood critical analytical Type political philosophical When to use this quote - diplomacy - academic discourse - media analysis Key Concepts semiotics historical ties Questions to Reflect On - How does naming affect perception? - Can a relationship be special without a label? A Different Perspective Overuse of terms can dilute significance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Britain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/britain/) [Diplomacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diplomacy/) [Foreign relations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/foreign-relations/) [Special relationship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/special-relationship/) [Superstition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/superstition/) [United states](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/united-states/) [Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/washington/) ## Related quotes > [“I believe our education system as a whole has not integrated the histories of all people into our education system, just the Eurocentric view…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-takaki/i-believe-our-education-system-as-a-whole-has-not-integrated-the/) [Ronald Takaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-takaki/) > [Today, bilateral relations with Britain are excellent, with cooperation in many areas and both countries continuing to work on strengthening these ties.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hassanal-bolkiah/today-bilateral-relations-with-britain-are-excellent-with-cooperation/) [Hassanal Bolkiah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hassanal-bolkiah/) > [“Far too many people—many of them academics, many politicians—continue to jabber about a supposed 'special relationship' between our two countries. I used to think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-hitchens/far-too-many-people-many-of-them-academics-many-politicians-continue/) [Peter Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-hitchens/) > [“Americans may say they love our accents (I have been accused of sounding 'like Princess Di') but the more thoughtful ones resent and rather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-hitchens/americans-may-say-they-love-our-accents-i-have-been-accused-of/) [Peter Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-hitchens/) > [British diplomats, constantly exposed to American political-ethical rhetoric, find their professional skills tested to the limits by the need to keep a straight face.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-cruise-o-brien/british-diplomats-constantly-exposed-to-american-political-ethical/) [Conor Cruise O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-cruise-o-brien/) > [British diplomats who worked in Iran during the 1980 hostage crisis are deeply upset by Ben Affleck's Oscar-winning film 'Argo,' which suggests they refused…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-hoggart/british-diplomats-who-worked-in-iran-during-the-1980-hostage-crisis/) [Simon Hoggart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-hoggart/) > [Among the handful of British diplomats and military men aware of their government's secret policy in the Middle East-that the Arabs were being encouraged…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-anderson/among-the-handful-of-british-diplomats-and-military-men-aware-of/) [Scott Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-anderson/) > [“When, in May, tensions reached a high point, London warned Berlin that if it attacked Czechoslovakia and the French were embroiled as well, "His…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-albright/when-in-may-tensions-reached-a-high-point-london-warned-berlin-that/) [Madeleine Albright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-albright/) > [Britain and America are always kind of at war with the Middle East in some way. And you've got Omid Djalili who is clearly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omid-djalili/britain-and-america-are-always-kind-of-at-war-with-the-middle-east-in/) [Omid Djalili](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omid-djalili/) > [Stop thinking that if Britain or America or Russia or the West or whatever becomes superior, then we'll beat them, and then we'll all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-harrison/stop-thinking-that-if-britain-or-america-or-russia-or-the-west-or/) [George Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-harrison/) > [I always love a song about London or about places. I think Britain could do with more of them; America is so good at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viv-albertine/i-always-love-a-song-about-london-or-about-places-i-think-britain/) [Viv Albertine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viv-albertine/) > [In Britain, by contrast, we still think that class plays a part in determining a person's life chances, so we're less inclined to celebrate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toby-young/in-britain-by-contrast-we-still-think-that-class-plays-a-part-in/) [Toby Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toby-young/) > [Suppose a part of Britain or a part of America was taken away and given to the Jews as Israel. Do you think the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahathir-mohamad/suppose-a-part-of-britain-or-a-part-of-america-was-taken-away-and/) [Mahathir Mohamad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahathir-mohamad/) > [This very individualistic form of Protestant Christianity that became so basic in English and then American life is to a large degree responsible for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-russell-mead/this-very-individualistic-form-of-protestant-christianity-that-became/) [Walter Russell Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-russell-mead/) > [What's similar between Britain and America is the lack of good-quality civic buildings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zaha-hadid/what-s-similar-between-britain-and-america-is-the-lack-of-good/) [Zaha Hadid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zaha-hadid/) ## More by Christopher Hitchens > [“The spirit of our accurate and exact philosophy is outraged by conclusions that contradict each other so glaringly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/the-spirit-of-our-accurate-and-exact-philosophy-is-outraged-by/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [“Many governments employ torture but this was the first time that the element of Saturnalia and pornography in the process had been made so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/many-governments-employ-torture-but-this-was-the-first-time-that-the/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [ It's \[Los Angeles\] mostly full of nonsense and delusion and egomania. They think they'll be young and beautiful forever, even though most of them… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/it-s-los-angeles-mostly-full-of-nonsense-and-delusion-and-egomania/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [To be against rationalization is not the same as to be opposed to reasoning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/to-be-against-rationalization-is-not-the-same-as-to-be-opposed-to/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [ \[Religion\] attacks us in our deepest integrity - the core of our self-respect. 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Why are we praised by godly men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/gullibility-and-credulity-are-considered-undesireable-qualities-in/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [It's much worse to see a woman drunk than a man: I don't know quite why this is true but it just is. Don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/it-s-much-worse-to-see-a-woman-drunk-than-a-man-i-don-t-know-quite/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [It's true that obscenity is a matter of taste and in the eye of the beholder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/it-s-true-that-obscenity-is-a-matter-of-taste-and-in-the-eye-of-the/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [I worked out early on to give up things I couldn't do well at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/i-worked-out-early-on-to-give-up-things-i-couldn-t-do-well-at-all/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [Writing is what's important to me, and anything that helps me do that - or enhances and prolongs and deepens and sometimes intensifies argument…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/writing-is-what-s-important-to-me-and-anything-that-helps-me-do-that/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) [Explore all 1,241 Christopher Hitchens quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) ## More Anglo-americans quotes > [“I believe our education system as a whole has not integrated the histories of all people into our education system, just the Eurocentric view…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-takaki/i-believe-our-education-system-as-a-whole-has-not-integrated-the/) [Ronald Takaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-takaki/) Browse all 2 Anglo-americans quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“British diplomats and Anglo-American types in Washington have a near-superstitious prohibition on uttering the words 'Special Relationship' to describe relations between Britain and America, lest the specialness itself vanish like a phantom at cock-crow.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Christopher Hitchens" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/british-diplomats-and-anglo-american-types-in-washington-have-a-near/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Anglo-americans" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/british-diplomats-and-anglo-american-types-in-washington-have-a-near/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/84d/christopher-hitchens-117_anglo-americans_british-diplomats-and-anglo-american-typ_1734488.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/84d/christopher-hitchens-117_anglo-americans_british-diplomats-and-anglo-american-typ_1734488.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/84d/christopher-hitchens-117_anglo-americans_british-diplomats-and-anglo-american-typ_1734488.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“British diplomats and Anglo-American types in Washington have a near-superstitious prohibition on uttering…” — Christopher Hitchens", "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": "Christopher Hitchens", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“British diplomats and Anglo-American types in...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/british-diplomats-and-anglo-american-types-in-washington-have-a-near/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/british-diplomats-and-anglo-american-types-in-washington-have-a-near/#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 } } ] } ```