--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The way in which we say something is…" description: "\"“The way in which we say something is often more important than what we say.”\" — Sydney J. Harris" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d8a/sydney-j-harris-1578_important_the-way-in-which-we-say-something-is-oft_3178383.png" --- # The way in which we say something is often more important… ![“The way in which we say something is often more important than what we say.” quote by Sydney J. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d8a/sydney-j-harris-1578_important_the-way-in-which-we-say-something-is-oft_3178383.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d8a/sydney-j-harris-1578_important_the-way-in-which-we-say-something-is-oft_3178383.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d8a/sydney-j-harris-1578_important_the-way-in-which-we-say-something-is-oft_3178383.png) > ““The way in which we say something is often more important than what we say.”” [Sydney J. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-j-harris/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. How we express ideas often outweighs the ideas themselves. **In simple terms:** Delivery matters more than content. Key Takeaway Focus on tone and phrasing. Themes communication language impact Mood educational thoughtful Type inspirational analytical When to use this quote - public speaking - writing - teaching - marketing Key Concepts rhetoric speech delivery Questions to Reflect On - How can you improve your speaking style? - What delivery techniques enhance meaning? A Different Perspective Content can be ignored if delivery is poor. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important/) [Important Say](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important-say/) [Say Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/say-important/) ## Related quotes > [Keep skid chains on your tongue. Say less than you think. Cultivate a pleasant voice. How you say it is often more important than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-landers/keep-skid-chains-on-your-tongue-say-less-than-you-think-cultivate-a/) [Ann Landers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-landers/) > [“While what you say to others is important, even more important is what you say to yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-s-sharma/while-what-you-say-to-others-is-important-even-more-important-is-what/) [Robin S. Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-s-sharma/) > [“If you don't say anything it can't become important, but if you say it everyone's ever after got to walk round it like a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-hensher/if-you-don-t-say-anything-it-can-t-become-important-but-if-you-say-it/) [Philip Hensher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-hensher/) > [It's not important, what you say. important is that how to say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/it-s-not-important-what-you-say-important-is-that-how-to-say/) [Mak\_786](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mak-786/) > [Its not important what you say. The important thing is how you say it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/its-not-important-what-you-say-the-important-thing-is-how-you-say-it/) [Mak\_786](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mak-786/) > [Please remember that how you say something is often more important than what you say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-malda/please-remember-that-how-you-say-something-is-often-more-important/) [Rob Malda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-malda/) > [What we say no to is sometimes more important than what we say yes to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lara-pulver/what-we-say-no-to-is-sometimes-more-important-than-what-we-say-yes-to/) [Lara Pulver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lara-pulver/) > [Remember that how you say something is as important as what you say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jackson-brown-jr/remember-that-how-you-say-something-is-as-important-as-what-you-say/) [H. Jackson Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jackson-brown-jr/) > [When they talk about my job being important, I say, 'The important jobs are the ones that you'd notice if you left for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-quigley/when-they-talk-about-my-job-being-important-i-say-the-important-jobs/) [Mike Quigley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-quigley/) > [I realize that I am not a journalist. So anything I say is not important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-ferguson/i-realize-that-i-am-not-a-journalist-so-anything-i-say-is-not/) [Craig Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-ferguson/) > [Show your gratitude to them, let them know they are loved and not being taken for granted. Nice words are hard to say but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bubbles/show-your-gratitude-to-them-let-them-know-they-are-loved-and-not/) [Bubbles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bubbles/) > [Actions speak louder than words. It's not the things you say that are important, it's the things you do that prove everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-moores/actions-speak-louder-than-words-it-s-not-the-things-you-say-that-are/) [Sarah Moores](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-moores/) > [How can you say something's important if you don't first withdraw and feel how rich you've become? That way you can become really generous.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanne-moreau/how-can-you-say-something-s-important-if-you-don-t-first-withdraw-and/) [Jeanne Moreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanne-moreau/) > [When you say too much about anything important, it always ends up sounding more trivial than it is. Words trash it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-mccafferty/when-you-say-too-much-about-anything-important-it-always-ends-up/) [Megan McCafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-mccafferty/) > [So what I don't say the three most important words that doesn't mean anything](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/so-what-i-don-t-say-the-three-most-important-words-that-doesn-t-mean/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Sydney J. Harris > [This is a lesson mankind has not yet learned. We identify, and stratify, and treat persons largely on the basis of their accidental (physical)…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-j-harris/this-is-a-lesson-mankind-has-not-yet-learned-we-identify-and-stratify/) [Sydney J. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-j-harris/) > [Character is something you forge for yourself; temperament is something you are born with and can only slightly modify.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-j-harris/character-is-something-you-forge-for-yourself-temperament-is/) [Sydney J. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-j-harris/) > [Middle Age is that perplexing time of life when we hear two voices calling us, one saying, 'Why not?' and the other, 'Why bother?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-j-harris/middle-age-is-that-perplexing-time-of-life-when-we-hear-two-voices/) [Sydney J. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-j-harris/) > [The profound immoralities of our time are cruelty, indifference, injustice and the use of others as means rather than ends in themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-j-harris/the-profound-immoralities-of-our-time-are-cruelty-indifference/) [Sydney J. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-j-harris/) > [Marriages we regard as the happiest are those in which each of the partners believes he or she got the best of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-j-harris/marriages-we-regard-as-the-happiest-are-those-in-which-each-of-the/) [Sydney J. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-j-harris/) > [“...it calls for deciding things on their own merit, not because you read it or were told it or grew up believing it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-j-harris/it-calls-for-deciding-things-on-their-own-merit-not-because-you-read/) [Sydney J. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-j-harris/) > [Ignorance per se is not nearly as dangerous as ignorance of ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-j-harris/ignorance-per-se-is-not-nearly-as-dangerous-as-ignorance-of-ignorance/) [Sydney J. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-j-harris/) > [Patriotism is proud of a country's virtues and eager to correct its deficiencies; it also acknowledges the legitimate patriotism of other countries, with their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-j-harris/patriotism-is-proud-of-a-country-s-virtues-and-eager-to-correct-its/) [Sydney J. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-j-harris/) > [A cynic is not merely one who reads bitter lessons from the past, his is also one who is permanently disappointed in the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-j-harris/a-cynic-is-not-merely-one-who-reads-bitter-lessons-from-the-past-his/) [Sydney J. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-j-harris/) > [Time is love, above all else. It is the most precious commodity in the world and should be lavished on those we care most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-j-harris/time-is-love-above-all-else-it-is-the-most-precious-commodity-in-the/) [Sydney J. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-j-harris/) > [Just about the only interruption we don't object to is applause.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-j-harris/just-about-the-only-interruption-we-don-t-object-to-is-applause/) [Sydney J. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-j-harris/) > [“The cynic is goodhearted beneath his facade, whereas the sentimentalist is flint-hearted beneath his.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-j-harris/the-cynic-is-goodhearted-beneath-his-facade-whereas-the/) [Sydney J. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-j-harris/) > [Any philosophy that can be put in a nutshell belongs there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-j-harris/any-philosophy-that-can-be-put-in-a-nutshell-belongs-there/) [Sydney J. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-j-harris/) > [“Like all persecuted minority groups, they strike back by forming cabals, by “taking over” certain spheres of activity (in the arts, for instance), and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-j-harris/like-all-persecuted-minority-groups-they-strike-back-by-forming/) [Sydney J. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-j-harris/) > [Intolerance is the most socially acceptable form of egotism, for it permits us to assume superiority without personal boasting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-j-harris/intolerance-is-the-most-socially-acceptable-form-of-egotism-for-it/) [Sydney J. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-j-harris/) [Explore all 226 Sydney J. Harris quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-j-harris/) ## More Important quotes > [There is something more important than any ultimate weapon. 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