--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What do you say? There really are no…" description: "\"What do you say? There really are no words for that. There really aren't. Somebody tries to say, 'I'm sorry, I'm so sorry.' People say that to me. Ther..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c5/toni-morrison-271_apology_what-do-you-say-there-really-are-no-word_2320853.jpg" --- # What do you say? There really are no words for that. There… ![“What do you say? There really are no words for that. There really aren't. Somebody tries to say, 'I'm sorry, I'm so sorry.' People say that to me. There's no language for it. Sorry doesn't do it. I think you should just hug people and mop their floor or something.” quote by Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c5/toni-morrison-271_apology_what-do-you-say-there-really-are-no-word_2320853.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c5/toni-morrison-271_apology_what-do-you-say-there-really-are-no-word_2320853.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c5/toni-morrison-271_apology_what-do-you-say-there-really-are-no-word_2320853.jpg) > “What do you say? There really are no words for that. There really aren't. Somebody tries to say, 'I'm sorry, I'm so sorry.' People say that to me. There's no language for it. Sorry doesn't do it. I think you should just hug people and mop their floor or something.” [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker feels language fails to convey deep sorrow, suggesting physical comfort may be more meaningful than words. **In simple terms:** Words can’t express some pain; actions may help. Key Takeaway Offer tangible support when words fall short. Themes grief communication empathy Mood empathetic somber Type literary emotional When to use this quote - bereavement counseling - conflict resolution - personal loss Key Concepts psychology existentialism Questions to Reflect On - How do you comfort someone beyond words? - When is silence more powerful than speech? A Different Perspective Language may not heal all wounds. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Apology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apology/) [Grief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grief/) [Hug](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hug/) [I'm so sorry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-m-so-sorry/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [When I am introduced as someone from New Orleans, people sometimes say: "I'm so sorry." New Orleans. I'm so sorry. That's not the way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rose/when-i-am-introduced-as-someone-from-new-orleans-people-sometimes-say/) [Chris Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rose/) > [Some people accidentally walk on our feet and say sorry while some people walk on our heart & dont even realize.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/some-people-accidentally-walk-on-our-feet-and-say-sorry-while-some/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [And I know I’ve lost. Everything is lost. Everything is over. “As the newly appointed President of this fair planet of ours,” the Mayor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ness/and-i-know-i-ve-lost-everything-is-lost-everything-is-over-as-the/) [Patrick Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ness/) > [“Be the hero of hearts; learn to say I'm sorry. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/be-the-hero-of-hearts-learn-to-say-i-m-sorry/) [Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) > [I started to write an apology, but I don’t have anything to say I’m sorry for,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-lawrence/i-started-to-write-an-apology-but-i-don-t-have-anything-to-say-i-m/) [Jennifer Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-lawrence/) > [It's not enough to say I'm sorry. You have to also mean it. It's the same with saying I'm single.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demetri-martin/it-s-not-enough-to-say-i-m-sorry-you-have-to-also-mean-it-it-s-the/) [Demetri Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demetri-martin/) > [My policy is I am always more than happy to say, "I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings." What I am not willing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/my-policy-is-i-am-always-more-than-happy-to-say-i-m-sorry-if-i-hurt/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [Most of us fear reaching the end of our life regretting moments when we didn't speak up, say I love you, or say I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-swift/most-of-us-fear-reaching-the-end-of-our-life-regretting-moments-when/) [Taylor Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-swift/) > [Takes a man or a woman to say I'm sorry, and it takes a fool to walk away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-brown/takes-a-man-or-a-woman-to-say-i-m-sorry-and-it-takes-a-fool-to-walk/) [James Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-brown/) > [My mom was never afraid to say, 'I'm sorry. I screwed up.' I feel like that's an important lesson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-lambert/my-mom-was-never-afraid-to-say-i-m-sorry-i-screwed-up-i-feel-like/) [Miranda Lambert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-lambert/) > [What men say: I'm sorry, honey. I was wrong. What men think: I'd love a Chipwich. I should go get one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-gould/what-men-say-i-m-sorry-honey-i-was-wrong-what-men-think-i-d-love-a/) [Dana Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-gould/) > [In order to turn around and do something better, we must first escape the vicious circle of self-righteousness and denial. And that calls for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-tutu/in-order-to-turn-around-and-do-something-better-we-must-first-escape/) [Desmond Tutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-tutu/) > [The only way we can ever teach a child to say "I'm sorry" is for him to hear it from our lips first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-leman/the-only-way-we-can-ever-teach-a-child-to-say-i-m-sorry-is-for-him-to/) [Kevin Leman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-leman/) > [It's very hard for me to say I'm sorry... but I do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-nichols/it-s-very-hard-for-me-to-say-i-m-sorry-but-i-do/) [Joe Nichols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-nichols/) > [Bella: "I'd say I'm sorry, but I'm not." Edward: "And I should feel sorry that you're not sorry, but I don't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephenie-meyer/bella-i-d-say-i-m-sorry-but-i-m-not-edward-and-i-should-feel-sorry/) [Stephenie Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephenie-meyer/) ## More by Toni Morrison > [Perhaps that's what all human relationships boiled down to: Would you save my life? or would you take it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/perhaps-that-s-what-all-human-relationships-boiled-down-to-would-you/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [There, in the center of that silence was not eternity but the death of time and a loneliness so profound the word itself had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/there-in-the-center-of-that-silence-was-not-eternity-but-the-death-of/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [In times of dread, artists must never choose to remain silent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/in-times-of-dread-artists-must-never-choose-to-remain-silent/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [“Not know it was hard;knowing it was harder”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/not-know-it-was-hard-knowing-it-was-harder/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [“Didn’t everything on God’s earth have or acquire defense?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/didn-t-everything-on-god-s-earth-have-or-acquire-defense/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [If you can't count, they can cheat you. If you can't read, they can beat you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/if-you-can-t-count-they-can-cheat-you-if-you-can-t-read-they-can-beat/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [“You looked at them and wondered why the were so ugly; you looked closely and could not find the source. Then you realized that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/you-looked-at-them-and-wondered-why-the-were-so-ugly-you-looked/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [All she saw, down in the cellar well beneath the stoop, was a light yellow feather with a tip of green. And she had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/all-she-saw-down-in-the-cellar-well-beneath-the-stoop-was-a-light/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [For me, Art is the restoration of order. It may discuss all sort of terrible things, but there must be satisfaction at the end.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/for-me-art-is-the-restoration-of-order-it-may-discuss-all-sort-of/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [“To Sethe, the future was a matter of keeping the past at bay”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/to-sethe-the-future-was-a-matter-of-keeping-the-past-at-bay/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [“Hate does that. Burns off everything but itself, so whatever your grievance is, your face looks just like your enemy's.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/hate-does-that-burns-off-everything-but-itself-so-whatever-your/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [“You know how a star is supposed to twinkle? We say twinkle because that is how it looks, but when a star feels itself,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/you-know-how-a-star-is-supposed-to-twinkle-we-say-twinkle-because/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [“There is no bad luck in the world but whitefolks”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/there-is-no-bad-luck-in-the-world-but-whitefolks/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [My father saw two black men lynched on his street in Cartersville, as a child. And I think seeing two black businessmen - not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/my-father-saw-two-black-men-lynched-on-his-street-in-cartersville-as/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [“She was fierce in the presence of death, heroic even, as she was at no other time. Its threat gave her direction, clarity, audacity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/she-was-fierce-in-the-presence-of-death-heroic-even-as-she-was-at-no/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) [Explore all 774 Toni Morrison quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) ## More Apology quotes > [The greatest act of courage is to be and to ownall of who you are—without apology, without excuses, without masks to cover the truth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbie-ford/the-greatest-act-of-courage-is-to-be-and-to-ownall-of-who-you-are/) [Debbie Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debbie-ford/) > [Apologies are not pass/fail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pausch/apologies-are-not-pass-fail/) [Randy Pausch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pausch/) > [“Why do we apologize for advocating for ourselves? Why do we apologize for taking up space that we are entitled to? Why do we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-tambascio/why-do-we-apologize-for-advocating-for-ourselves-why-do-we-apologize/) Elizabeth Tambascio > [It's hard to say sorry when It's really your fault.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rakii-retondo/it-s-hard-to-say-sorry-when-it-s-really-your-fault/) [Rakii Retondo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rakii-retondo/) > [“A lady need never apologize. ~ Joseph de Bonaparte (Brother of Napoleon)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allison-pataki/a-lady-need-never-apologize-joseph-de-bonaparte-brother-of-napoleon/) Allison Pataki > [And apologies, once postponed, become harder and harder to make, and finally impossible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mitchell/and-apologies-once-postponed-become-harder-and-harder-to-make-and/) [Margaret Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mitchell/) > [In the formation of such a government, it is not only the right, but the indispensable duty of every citizen to examine the principles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-webster/in-the-formation-of-such-a-government-it-is-not-only-the-right-but/) [Noah Webster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-webster/) > [Apologizing does not always mean you are wrong, it just means that value your relationships more than your ego.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinier-bennett/apologizing-does-not-always-mean-you-are-wrong-it-just-means-that/) [Chinier Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinier-bennett/) > [If I can get enough signatures, to present an apology to slavery, I will present it to the President. The House of Representatives has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirk-douglas/if-i-can-get-enough-signatures-to-present-an-apology-to-slavery-i/) [Kirk Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirk-douglas/) > [“I don’t care if you’ve changed. I don’t care who you are now. I don’t need or want your explanations because what you did,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-young/i-don-t-care-if-you-ve-changed-i-don-t-care-who-you-are-now-i-don-t/) [Samantha Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-young/) > [I never said Kristen ruined my wedding. At the time, when a million other things had fallen apart that day, I felt like she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scheana-shay/i-never-said-kristen-ruined-my-wedding-at-the-time-when-a-million/) [Scheana Shay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scheana-shay/) > [The greatest form of maturity is at harvest time. This is when we must learn how to reap without complaint if the amounts are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/the-greatest-form-of-maturity-is-at-harvest-time-this-is-when-we-must/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) > [“It's clear he still feels something, but what? Is the whole reason he made such a big deal about wanting to talk to me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carey-heywood/it-s-clear-he-still-feels-something-but-what-is-the-whole-reason-he/) [Carey Heywood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carey-heywood/) > [I wasn't saying whatever they're saying I was saying. I'm sorry I said it really. I never meant it to be a lousy anti-religious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/i-wasn-t-saying-whatever-they-re-saying-i-was-saying-i-m-sorry-i-said/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [For every person who atones, a hundred others find regret sufficient.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-breault/for-every-person-who-atones-a-hundred-others-find-regret-sufficient/) [Robert Breault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-breault/) [Browse all 1,300 Apology quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apology/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What do you say? There really are no words for that. There really aren't. Somebody tries to say, 'I'm sorry, I'm so sorry.' People say that to me. There's no language for it. Sorry doesn't do it. 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