--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I should like to caution you agains the…" description: "\"“I should like to caution you agains the perils of an exercise marked by an exchange of verbiage even in poetic language. But, in international relatio..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/28b/pn-haksar-270035_diplomacy-quotes_i-should-like-to-caution-you-agains-the_333338.jpg" --- # I should like to caution you agains the perils of an… ![“I should like to caution you agains the perils of an exercise marked by an exchange of verbiage even in poetic language. But, in international relations, soft words butter no parsnips any more than harsh words break any bones. Ad-hocism and dilletantism are fraught with grave consequences.” quote by PN Haksar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/28b/pn-haksar-270035_diplomacy-quotes_i-should-like-to-caution-you-agains-the_333338.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/28b/pn-haksar-270035_diplomacy-quotes_i-should-like-to-caution-you-agains-the_333338.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/28b/pn-haksar-270035_diplomacy-quotes_i-should-like-to-caution-you-agains-the_333338.jpg) > ““I should like to caution you agains the perils of an exercise marked by an exchange of verbiage even in poetic language. But, in international relations, soft words butter no parsnips any more than harsh words break any bones. Ad-hocism and dilletantism are fraught with grave consequences.”” PN Haksar ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Critiques soft diplomatic language as ineffective, contrasting it with harsh words that can have tangible impact; warns of careless diplomatic practices. **In simple terms:** Soft words often lack effect; harsh words can be decisive. Key Takeaway Choose language wisely in diplomacy. Themes diplomacy communication policy Mood cautionary analytical Type Diplomacy-quotes:0 Fitness:0 Harsh words:1 International relations:1 Language:0 Soft Words:0 Perils Exercise:0 Verbiage Poetic:0 Dilletantism Fraught:0 When to use this quote - international negotiations - political strategy - public statements Key Concepts soft power hard power Questions to Reflect On - When is firm language necessary? - How can soft language be made effective? A Different Perspective Harsh language can damage relationships. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Diplomacy-quotes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diplomacy-quotes/) [Fitness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fitness/) [Harsh words](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harsh-words/) [International relations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/international-relations/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) ## Related quotes > [Soft words soften the hearts that are harder than rock and harsh words harden hearts that are softer than silk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/soft-words-soften-the-hearts-that-are-harder-than-rock-and-harsh/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Some neighbouring countries of Dem. Rep. of the Congo are full of ambitions and they will bring their own downfall in the near future.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/some-neighbouring-countries-of-dem-rep-of-the-congo-are-full-of/) [Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/) > [“It's not surprising that we are all craving for the diplomas, degrees and masters. I strongly believe that journey began with your birth certificate.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/it-s-not-surprising-that-we-are-all-craving-for-the-diplomas-degrees/) [Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/) > [“Diplomacy without sagacity and manoeuvre is like music with instruments.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salam-al-shereida/diplomacy-without-sagacity-and-manoeuvre-is-like-music-with/) Salam Al Shereida > [“What made massive UN corruption possible was not so much the lies we told one another but the lies we told ourselves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-soussan/what-made-massive-un-corruption-possible-was-not-so-much-the-lies-we/) Michael Soussan > [“The most rewarding aspect of sanctions is that they foster self-reliance and uphold genuine independence from external influence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eduvie-donald/the-most-rewarding-aspect-of-sanctions-is-that-they-foster-self/) [Eduvie Donald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eduvie-donald/) > [“If Diplomacy were easy, everyone could do this, Rann.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-r-matthews/if-diplomacy-were-easy-everyone-could-do-this-rann/) Richard R. Matthews > [“One of the hardest things about diplomacy is to put yourself into someone else's shoes without compromising your own principles.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/one-of-the-hardest-things-about-diplomacy-is-to-put-yourself-into/) [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) > [“What action could not do, diplomacy might accomplish. Or, failing that, money.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudia-gray/what-action-could-not-do-diplomacy-might-accomplish-or-failing-that/) [Claudia Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudia-gray/) > [“Diplomacy is beautiful, but it must also follow the famous maxim of nothing in excess.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/diplomacy-is-beautiful-but-it-must-also-follow-the-famous-maxim-of/) [Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/) > [“When music speaks, everybody understands”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-petrocelli/when-music-speaks-everybody-understands/) Paolo Petrocelli > [“Sometimes, there is only a thin line between diplomacy and a lie.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-gerard-trotman/sometimes-there-is-only-a-thin-line-between-diplomacy-and-a-lie/) [Wayne Gerard Trotman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-gerard-trotman/) > [“As far as I know, only politicians can make this kind of miracle staying more than 30 years of their entire life lying or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-vanderbuilt/as-far-as-i-know-only-politicians-can-make-this-kind-of-miracle/) [Frederick Vanderbuilt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-vanderbuilt/) > [“You wanted to play, baby." Soft words that had her freezing in place. "So we'll play.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nalini-singh/you-wanted-to-play-baby-soft-words-that-had-her-freezing-in-place-so/) [nalini singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nalini-singh/) > [“Like this, Rook.” Ford’s soft words vibrate into me. “I like you. I’d like to show you how much, actually. I’m being a gentleman…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-a-huss/like-this-rook-ford-s-soft-words-vibrate-into-me-i-like-you-i-d-like/) [J.A. Huss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-a-huss/) ## More Diplomacy-quotes quotes > [“As far as I know, only politicians can make this kind of miracle staying more than 30 years of their entire life lying or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-vanderbuilt/as-far-as-i-know-only-politicians-can-make-this-kind-of-miracle/) [Frederick Vanderbuilt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-vanderbuilt/) > [“Sometimes, there is only a thin line between diplomacy and a lie.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-gerard-trotman/sometimes-there-is-only-a-thin-line-between-diplomacy-and-a-lie/) [Wayne Gerard Trotman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-gerard-trotman/) > [“When music speaks, everybody understands”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-petrocelli/when-music-speaks-everybody-understands/) Paolo Petrocelli > [“Diplomacy is beautiful, but it must also follow the famous maxim of nothing in excess.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/diplomacy-is-beautiful-but-it-must-also-follow-the-famous-maxim-of/) [Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/) > [“What action could not do, diplomacy might accomplish. Or, failing that, money.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudia-gray/what-action-could-not-do-diplomacy-might-accomplish-or-failing-that/) [Claudia Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudia-gray/) > [“One of the hardest things about diplomacy is to put yourself into someone else's shoes without compromising your own principles.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/one-of-the-hardest-things-about-diplomacy-is-to-put-yourself-into/) [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) > [“If Diplomacy were easy, everyone could do this, Rann.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-r-matthews/if-diplomacy-were-easy-everyone-could-do-this-rann/) Richard R. 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I strongly believe that journey began with your birth certificate.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/it-s-not-surprising-that-we-are-all-craving-for-the-diplomas-degrees/) [Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/) > [“Some neighbouring countries of Dem. Rep. of the Congo are full of ambitions and they will bring their own downfall in the near future.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwanandeke-kindembo/some-neighbouring-countries-of-dem-rep-of-the-congo-are-full-of/) [Mwanandeke Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mwanandeke-kindembo/) [Browse all 13 Diplomacy-quotes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diplomacy-quotes/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I should like to caution you agains the perils of an exercise marked by an exchange of verbiage even in poetic language. 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