--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Sorry,’ he mutters back, in that…" description: "\"“Sorry,’ he mutters back, in that reflexive British way where you’re apologetic that someone else has had to make an apology.”\" — Mhairi McFarlane" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/592/mhairi-mcfarlane-23243_apologetic_sorry-he-mutters-back-in-that-reflexive_3151674.jpg" --- # Sorry,’ he mutters back, in that reflexive British way… ![“Sorry,’ he mutters back, in that reflexive British way where you’re apologetic that someone else has had to make an apology.” quote by Mhairi McFarlane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/592/mhairi-mcfarlane-23243_apologetic_sorry-he-mutters-back-in-that-reflexive_3151674.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/592/mhairi-mcfarlane-23243_apologetic_sorry-he-mutters-back-in-that-reflexive_3151674.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/592/mhairi-mcfarlane-23243_apologetic_sorry-he-mutters-back-in-that-reflexive_3151674.jpg) > ““Sorry,’ he mutters back, in that reflexive British way where you’re apologetic that someone else has had to make an apology.”” [Mhairi McFarlane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mhairi-mcfarlane/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A British character apologizes reflexively, indicating a cultural habit of over‑apologizing. **In simple terms:** British habit of apologizing too much. Key Takeaway Be mindful of unnecessary apologies. Themes culture communication politeness Mood observational lighthearted Type social cultural When to use this quote - workplace meetings - social gatherings - customer service - online interactions Key Concepts sociolinguistics social norms self‑presentation Questions to Reflect On - When is an apology truly needed? - How does cultural context shape apology habits? A Different Perspective Over‑apologizing can undermine confidence. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Apologetic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apologetic/) [Apology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apology/) ## Related quotes > [Being able to make a sincere apology - one that says, "Yes, I get it; I screwed up. Your feelings make sense, and I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-lerner/being-able-to-make-a-sincere-apology-one-that-says-yes-i-get-it-i/) [Harriet Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-lerner/) > [I make no apology for the love of competition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-harbaugh/i-make-no-apology-for-the-love-of-competition/) [Jim Harbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-harbaugh/) > [First off, I'm not a scientist, and I make no apology for that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/first-off-i-m-not-a-scientist-and-i-make-no-apology-for-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We live in an age of apologies. Apologies, fake or true, are expected from the descendants of empire builders, slave owners and persecutors of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alec-guinness/we-live-in-an-age-of-apologies-apologies-fake-or-true-are-expected/) [Alec Guinness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alec-guinness/) > [I'm apologetic when I feel like I've made a mistake. And when I have done a disservice to myself or someone else. But I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-rice/i-m-apologetic-when-i-feel-like-i-ve-made-a-mistake-and-when-i-have/) [Susan Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-rice/) > [If I have something to apologize, I want to be the first one to step up and make that apology. I don't want anyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-shocked/if-i-have-something-to-apologize-i-want-to-be-the-first-one-to-step/) [Michelle Shocked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-shocked/) > [“Apologizing to me again, thought Miles miserably. For me. He keeps telling me I'm all right—and then apologizing. Inconsistent, Father.He shuffled back and forth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-mcmaster-bujold/apologizing-to-me-again-thought-miles-miserably-for-me-he-keeps/) [Lois McMaster Bujold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-mcmaster-bujold/) > [I have been trying to create a campaign to have our country make an apology for slavery, for the way that blacks were treated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirk-douglas/i-have-been-trying-to-create-a-campaign-to-have-our-country-make-an/) [Kirk Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirk-douglas/) > [I am human and we have all said things to each other that we would love to put back in our mouths but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-zarin/i-am-human-and-we-have-all-said-things-to-each-other-that-we-would/) [Jill Zarin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-zarin/) > [I make no apology about being a hillbilly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marty-stuart/i-make-no-apology-about-being-a-hillbilly/) [Marty Stuart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marty-stuart/) > [In the case of the Japanese, they usually commit suicide before they make any apology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-grassley/in-the-case-of-the-japanese-they-usually-commit-suicide-before-they/) [Chuck Grassley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-grassley/) > [We make no apology then for raising our voices loud to a world that is ripening in sin the lord has said,” Say nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spencer-w-kimball/we-make-no-apology-then-for-raising-our-voices-loud-to-a-world-that/) [Spencer W. Kimball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spencer-w-kimball/) > [“We are sorry about the way things turned out. We gave, in the phrasing of our words if not literally in the words themselves,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anders-nilsen/we-are-sorry-about-the-way-things-turned-out-we-gave-in-the-phrasing/) Anders Nilsen > [People don't change. They just say they do to make their apology sound better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/people-don-t-change-they-just-say-they-do-to-make-their-apology-sound/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I am here today to again apologize for the personal mistakes I have made and the embarrassment I have caused. I make this apology…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-weiner/i-am-here-today-to-again-apologize-for-the-personal-mistakes-i-have/) [Anthony Weiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-weiner/) ## More by Mhairi McFarlane > [“law that stated you didn't advertise any event you hadn't attended, any place you'd never been, or any band you didn't really listen to.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mhairi-mcfarlane/law-that-stated-you-didn-t-advertise-any-event-you-hadn-t-attended/) [Mhairi McFarlane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mhairi-mcfarlane/) > [“Seems once was enough to infect me. From then on you've been lying dormant, like a virus. Or an incurable chronic condition that flares…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mhairi-mcfarlane/seems-once-was-enough-to-infect-me-from-then-on-you-ve-been-lying/) [Mhairi McFarlane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mhairi-mcfarlane/) > [“...the life with him you feel like you lost out on, it’s perfect because it’s a fantasy and it’s a fantasy because it’s perfect.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mhairi-mcfarlane/the-life-with-him-you-feel-like-you-lost-out-on-it-s-perfect-because/) [Mhairi McFarlane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mhairi-mcfarlane/) > [“Delia thought it was as much use as putting deely-boppers on a crocodile and calling it Miriam”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mhairi-mcfarlane/delia-thought-it-was-as-much-use-as-putting-deely-boppers-on-a/) [Mhairi McFarlane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mhairi-mcfarlane/) > [“His sadness was almost palpable, like moisture in the air before it rains. Although this was Manchester, it was probably about to rain anyway.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mhairi-mcfarlane/his-sadness-was-almost-palpable-like-moisture-in-the-air-before-it/) [Mhairi McFarlane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mhairi-mcfarlane/) > [“...I think you’re bound to feel guilty, and you’re going to feel sad. You have to simply feel it. Don’t hate yourself. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mhairi-mcfarlane/i-think-you-re-bound-to-feel-guilty-and-you-re-going-to-feel-sad-you/) [Mhairi McFarlane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mhairi-mcfarlane/) > [“Do nothing, and nothing happens. Life is about decisions. You either make them or they're made for you, but you can't avoid them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mhairi-mcfarlane/do-nothing-and-nothing-happens-life-is-about-decisions-you-either/) [Mhairi McFarlane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mhairi-mcfarlane/) > [“I wanted him to be happy and it was also going to be the thing that hurt the most”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mhairi-mcfarlane/i-wanted-him-to-be-happy-and-it-was-also-going-to-be-the-thing-that/) [Mhairi McFarlane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mhairi-mcfarlane/) > [“Men like fun much more than they like clever”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mhairi-mcfarlane/men-like-fun-much-more-than-they-like-clever/) [Mhairi McFarlane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mhairi-mcfarlane/) > [“I thought it would all fall into place. I've changed my mind. Do nothing, and nothing happens. Life is about decisions. You either make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mhairi-mcfarlane/i-thought-it-would-all-fall-into-place-i-ve-changed-my-mind-do/) [Mhairi McFarlane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mhairi-mcfarlane/) > [“I like the city late at night, the blasts of music and the splashes of light cast from bars that are still open, shoals…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mhairi-mcfarlane/i-like-the-city-late-at-night-the-blasts-of-music-and-the-splashes-of/) [Mhairi McFarlane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mhairi-mcfarlane/) > [“London was one of the worst places to have a bad day and one of the best places to have a good day”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mhairi-mcfarlane/london-was-one-of-the-worst-places-to-have-a-bad-day-and-one-of-the/) [Mhairi McFarlane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mhairi-mcfarlane/) > [“I was right I couldn't fall in love with you. Because I never fell out of love with you." -Ben”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mhairi-mcfarlane/i-was-right-i-couldn-t-fall-in-love-with-you-because-i-never-fell-out/) [Mhairi McFarlane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mhairi-mcfarlane/) > [“Refusal to listen isn’t enough of a response.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mhairi-mcfarlane/refusal-to-listen-isn-t-enough-of-a-response/) [Mhairi McFarlane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mhairi-mcfarlane/) > [“It's pathetic, I knew I did from that first moment we met. It was...not love at first sight exactly, but - familiarity. Like: oh,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mhairi-mcfarlane/it-s-pathetic-i-knew-i-did-from-that-first-moment-we-met-it-was-not/) [Mhairi McFarlane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mhairi-mcfarlane/) [Explore all 25 Mhairi McFarlane quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mhairi-mcfarlane/) ## More Apologetic quotes > [If writing with a goal - whether it be evangelistic, apologetic, or didactic - implies propaganda, then all recorded history is propaganda. . .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-copan/if-writing-with-a-goal-whether-it-be-evangelistic-apologetic-or/) [Paul Copan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-copan/) > [In the New Testament alone there are Gospels, acts, epistles, and an apocalypse. Gospels contain literary forms like miracles, parables, pronouncements, proverbs, farewell discourses,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-blomberg/in-the-new-testament-alone-there-are-gospels-acts-epistles-and-an/) [Craig Blomberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-blomberg/) > [We preach sermons, write books on apologetics, conduct city-wide evangelistic campaigns. For those alienated from the church, that approach no longer has the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-yancey/we-preach-sermons-write-books-on-apologetics-conduct-city-wide/) [Philip Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-yancey/) > [The purpose of apologetics is not just to win an argument or a discussion, but that people with whom we are in contact may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-schaeffer/the-purpose-of-apologetics-is-not-just-to-win-an-argument-or-a/) [Francis Schaeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-schaeffer/) > [I'm a single-issue voter, to get straight to the point. I'm really only interested in the candidate who's toughest and least apologetic when it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/i-m-a-single-issue-voter-to-get-straight-to-the-point-i-m-really-only/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [Writing is a vocation and, as in any other calling, a writer should develop his talents for the greater glory of God. Novels should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piers-paul-read/writing-is-a-vocation-and-as-in-any-other-calling-a-writer-should/) Piers Paul Read > [... and yet he could also be very charming, in a bookish, infinitely apologetic way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-mclain/and-yet-he-could-also-be-very-charming-in-a-bookish-infinitely/) [Paula McLain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-mclain/) > [When I started playing in bands, we had to be apologetic for what we did. We had to be apologetic because the mainstream was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-antonoff/when-i-started-playing-in-bands-we-had-to-be-apologetic-for-what-we/) [Jack Antonoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-antonoff/) > [“The snow lay thin and apologetic over the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-cooper/the-snow-lay-thin-and-apologetic-over-the-world/) [Susan Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-cooper/) > [In a post-modern culture we need an apologetic that is felt and seen because if post-moderns are not feeling it, they are not believing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-zacharias/in-a-post-modern-culture-we-need-an-apologetic-that-is-felt-and-seen/) [Ravi Zacharias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-zacharias/) > [I'm apologetic when I feel like I've made a mistake. And when I have done a disservice to myself or someone else. But I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-rice/i-m-apologetic-when-i-feel-like-i-ve-made-a-mistake-and-when-i-have/) [Susan Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-rice/) > [I know I'm an overachiever, and I'm not apologetic about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyra-banks/i-know-i-m-an-overachiever-and-i-m-not-apologetic-about-it/) [Tyra Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyra-banks/) > [Apologetics has an important place in the local church as we seek to influence our communities for Christ in an increasingly skeptical culture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-strobel/apologetics-has-an-important-place-in-the-local-church-as-we-seek-to/) [Lee Strobel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-strobel/) > [If you don't feel apologetic for slavery, if you don't feel apologetic for colonialism, if you feel proud of it then say that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-jackson/if-you-don-t-feel-apologetic-for-slavery-if-you-don-t-feel-apologetic/) [Jesse Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-jackson/) > [Most apologetic books are really written for Christians, even the ones that purport to be written for non-believers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/most-apologetic-books-are-really-written-for-christians-even-the-ones/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) [Browse all 127 Apologetic quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apologetic/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Sorry,’ he mutters back, in that reflexive British way where you’re apologetic that someone else has had to make an apology.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Mhairi McFarlane" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mhairi-mcfarlane/sorry-he-mutters-back-in-that-reflexive-british-way-where-you-re/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Apologetic" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mhairi-mcfarlane/sorry-he-mutters-back-in-that-reflexive-british-way-where-you-re/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/592/mhairi-mcfarlane-23243_apologetic_sorry-he-mutters-back-in-that-reflexive_3151674.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/592/mhairi-mcfarlane-23243_apologetic_sorry-he-mutters-back-in-that-reflexive_3151674.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/592/mhairi-mcfarlane-23243_apologetic_sorry-he-mutters-back-in-that-reflexive_3151674.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Sorry,’ he mutters back, in that reflexive British way where you’re apologetic that someone else has had to…” — Mhairi McFarlane", "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": "Mhairi McFarlane", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mhairi-mcfarlane/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Sorry,’ he mutters back, in that...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mhairi-mcfarlane/sorry-he-mutters-back-in-that-reflexive-british-way-where-you-re/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mhairi-mcfarlane/sorry-he-mutters-back-in-that-reflexive-british-way-where-you-re/#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 } } ] } ```