--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I shall never use profanity except in…" description: "\"I shall never use profanity except in discussing house rent and taxes.\" — Mark Twain" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e60/mark-twain-22_discussing_i-shall-never-use-profanity-except-in-di_1147041.png" --- # I shall never use profanity except in discussing house… ![“I shall never use profanity except in discussing house rent and taxes.” quote by Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e60/mark-twain-22_discussing_i-shall-never-use-profanity-except-in-di_1147041.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e60/mark-twain-22_discussing_i-shall-never-use-profanity-except-in-di_1147041.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e60/mark-twain-22_discussing_i-shall-never-use-profanity-except-in-di_1147041.png) > “I shall never use profanity except in discussing house rent and taxes.” [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He limits profanity to topics he finds mundane or bureaucratic, avoiding vulgarity elsewhere. **In simple terms:** Only swears about rent and taxes. Key Takeaway Reserve language for serious matters. Themes self‑control language social norms Mood reflective humorous Type ethical personal When to use this quote - Everyday conversation - political debate - writing - public speaking Key Concepts Censorship personal boundaries Questions to Reflect On - When is profanity appropriate? - How does language affect perception? A Different Perspective May limit expressive honesty in other contexts. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Profanity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/profanity/) [Tax day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tax-day/) [Taxes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taxes/) ## Related quotes > [ \[I\] shall never use profanity except in discussing house rent and taxes. Indeed, upon second thought, I will not use it then, for it… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/i-shall-never-use-profanity-except-in-discussing-house-rent-and-taxes-2/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [I do not use profanity in my novels. My characters all go to church.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/i-do-not-use-profanity-in-my-novels-my-characters-all-go-to-church/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [I don't trust people who don't use profanity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-oliver-everett/i-don-t-trust-people-who-don-t-use-profanity/) [Mark Oliver Everett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-oliver-everett/) > [“It is, as you know, very, very rude and usually unnecessary to use profanity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemony-snicket/it-is-as-you-know-very-very-rude-and-usually-unnecessary-to-use/) [Lemony Snicket](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemony-snicket/) > [“Why use profanity in real life and writing? Because sometimes 'darn it' just doesn't cut it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-patricks/why-use-profanity-in-real-life-and-writing-because-sometimes-darn-it/) [Jacqueline Patricks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-patricks/) > [In all my content I don't really swear or use profanity, because I believe comedy can just be pure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-dapaah/in-all-my-content-i-don-t-really-swear-or-use-profanity-because-i/) [Michael Dapaah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-dapaah/) > [We don't believe that you have to broadcast and use profanity. It shows a lack of a vocabulary really.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-clay-weaver/we-don-t-believe-that-you-have-to-broadcast-and-use-profanity-it/) Harry Clay Weaver > [“the use of profanity for effect to be a practice of the weak-minded”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-fallis/the-use-of-profanity-for-effect-to-be-a-practice-of-the-weak-minded/) [Terry Fallis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-fallis/) > [Okay, seriously, I dont know if this is true or not, but I heard people who use profanity are trying to compensate for their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-elkeles/okay-seriously-i-dont-know-if-this-is-true-or-not-but-i-heard-people/) [Simone Elkeles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-elkeles/) > [“Thirty-four, still undecided on a name, sat practicing his Realm tongue with Draker, although much of the lesson seemed to consist of the correct…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-ryan/thirty-four-still-undecided-on-a-name-sat-practicing-his-realm-tongue/) [Anthony Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-ryan/) > [I love Twitter, but some people use profanity so much that at some point it's like saying, 'Pass the salt.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-cosby/i-love-twitter-but-some-people-use-profanity-so-much-that-at-some/) [Bill Cosby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-cosby/) > [1. Be on time. 2. Never criticize a teammate. 3. Never use profanity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/1-be-on-time-2-never-criticize-a-teammate-3-never-use-profanity/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [I don't even use profanity when I'm angry. I think people expected I'd have written a nice romance or something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-mcgarry-morris/i-don-t-even-use-profanity-when-i-m-angry-i-think-people-expected-i-d/) Mary McGarry Morris > [I'm always fighting with profanity and Christian comedy. I'm telling you, it's always a fight. Because my father said to me, he said, 'Well,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kym-whitley/i-m-always-fighting-with-profanity-and-christian-comedy-i-m-telling/) [Kym Whitley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kym-whitley/) > [My God, look at the words people use today. They use profanity like it's nothing. Christ almighty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-lasorda/my-god-look-at-the-words-people-use-today-they-use-profanity-like-it/) [Tommy Lasorda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-lasorda/) ## More by Mark Twain > [Sing like no one's listening, love like you've never been hurt, dance like nobody's watching, and live like its heaven on earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/sing-like-no-one-s-listening-love-like-you-ve-never-been-hurt-dance/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [If you had made the acquiring of ignorance the study of your life, you could not have graduated with higher honor than you could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/if-you-had-made-the-acquiring-of-ignorance-the-study-of-your-life-you/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [“The Creator sat upon the throne, thinking. 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