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Judith Martin

Judith Martin Quotes

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Famous Judith Martin Quotes

“The etiquette of intimacy is very different from the etiquette of formality, but manners are not just something to show off to the outside world. If you offend the head waiter, you can always go to another restaurant. If you offend the person you live with, it's very cumbersome to switch to a different family.”

IfsWorldPersonsDifferentShowsFamilyMannersIntimacyRestaurantsEtiquetteShowing OffOutside WorldWaiterFormalityFamily ManDifferent Families
Author:Judith Martin
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“Visiting the sick is supposed to exhibit such great virtue that there are some people determined to do it whether the sick like it or not. ... All visitors everywhere are supposed to make plans to depart if they observe their hosts visibly wilting or in pain, but this is especially true at hospitals.”

PeopleIfsPainVirtuePlansSickIllnessDeterminedHospitalsHostExhibitsVisitingVisitorsWilting
Book:Miss Manners Rescues Civilization: From Sexual Harassment, Frivolous Lawsuits, Dissing, and Other Lapses in Civility
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“Screening telephone calls with a receptionist or the humbler answering machine is not a dishonorable thing to do. The warmest people in the world still need uninterrupted time to attend to their lives and should not be outwitted if they have made it obvious that they are not always available upon summons.”

PeopleIfsWorldNeedsShouldMadeStillsMachinesObviousAvailableMade ItThings To DoTelephonesScreeningAnswering MachinesDishonorableReceptionists
Author:Judith Martin
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“Precision marching is less important for the bridal party than maintaining the proper facial expresssions: The bridegroom must look awed; the bridesmaids, happy and excited; the father of the bride, proud; and the bride, demure. If the bridegroom feels doubtful, the bridesmaids, sulky, the father, worried, and the bride, blasé, nobody wants to know.”

IfsKnowsWantFeelsLooksImportantFatherPartyProudExcitedWorriedMaintainingBridesPrecisionDoubtfulFacialBridalBridegroomBridesmaidsSulkyDemureFather Of The Bride
Book:Miss Manners on Weddings
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“One should not be assigned one's identity in society by the job slot one happens to fill. If we truly believe in the dignity of labor, any task can be performed with equal pride because none can demean the basic dignity of a human being.”

IfsShouldBelieveHumansHappensJobsWorkHuman BeingsIdentityPrideEqualLaborDignityTasks
Book:Common courtesy: in which Miss Manners solves the problem that baffled Mr. Jefferson
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“Should you happen to notice that another person is extremely tall or overweight, eats too much or declines convivial drinks, has red hair or goes about in a wheelchair, ought to get married or ought not to be pregnant -- see if you can refrain from bringing these astonishing observations to that person's attention.”

IfsShouldPersonsHappensAttentionToo MuchHairOughtDrinkMarriedRedObservationTallDeclinePregnantAstonishingRefrainOverweightWheelchairsRed Hair
Author:Judith Martin
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“You can deny all you want that there is etiquette, and a lot of people do in everyday life. But if you behave in a way that offends the people you're trying to deal with, they will stop dealing with you...There are plenty of people who say, 'We don't care about etiquette, but we can't stand the way so-and-so behaves, and we don't want him around!' Etiquette doesn't have the great sanctions that the law has. But the main sanction we do have is in not dealing with these people and isolating them because their behavior is unbearable.”

PeopleIfsWayWantTryingCareLawDealsBehaviorEverydayDon't CareDenyPlentyBehaveEveryday LifeUnbearableEtiquetteSanctionsWant Him
Author:Judith Martin
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