Quotes About Etiquette

Only fools imply compliments. The wise man comes right out with it, point-blank. Imply criticism--unless the criticized isn't within earshot.

Allow me to tell you, Mr Taylor, said I, but quietly as the occasion demanded, that one gentleman does not rejoice at the misfortune of another in public.

Allow me to tell you, Mr Taylor, said I, but quietly as the occassion demanded, that one gentleman does not rejoice at the misfortune of another in public.

A filthy mouth will not utter decent language.

Those who have free seats at a play hiss first.

Politeness wins the confidence of princes

2 out of every 5 people you shake hands with may not have washed their hands between using the toilet and touching your hands.

When your finance professor starts using the word "dude," you must eliminate the word from your vocabulary.

When a man fails to honour ladies, his own honour must be dead.

Because no one has ever seen a woman behave so wrongly as to ask a man to love her, unless she were more deranged than the next person. I would be a proven fool if I ever spoke a word that would bring me reproach. If he were to learn it from my mouth, I think he would lose esteem for me and lastingly reproach me for having spoken first. May love never stoop so low that I beseech him first since he would then esteem me less.

My mother taught me to treat a lady respectfully.

There's eight million people here pretending the others aren't getting on their nerves. I believe it's called civilization.

Any more décolletage and you'd look rather as if you might; any less and you'd look as if you might rather not." When Hilda was on form she was hard to resist—

stand up straight. Don't lean or sit or cross your arms. Keep your hands off your hips and make eye contact with the guest at all times. A Walt Disney World Cast Member never points with a single finger—and he never uses a thumb.* Instead, use two fingers." Orville held out his index and middle fingers together. "Or, to be on the safe side, the whole hand in the style of a karate chop.

Survival has its own etiquette.

Well, then," Mrs. Byrne says. "Let's get back to work. Dorothy, your suitcase is in the foyer. We'll discuss sleeping arrangements at supper." She turns to leave, then adds, "We keep strict hours for mealtimes. Breakfast at eight, lunch at twelve, supper at six. There is no snacking between meals. Self-discipline is one of the most important qualities a young lady can possess.

when they travel, all royals bring along mourning clothes, in case a family member dies and they must rush home for the funeral.

God bless you, in case you sneeze.

The Googling that might occur before dinner parties, however, confuses me more than the Googling of dead wives, especially since I prefer to have dinner parties where nobody talks about their careers. Isn't that the mark of a failed dinner party? When the conversations resemble job interviews? Wouldn't it actually be preferable, thus, to request that everyone Google the other guests beforehand so our tedious biographies won't need teasing out in person?

At a certain point, it seems more polite to just become the person people assume you to be.

There is a strange taboo in our society against ending something merely because it is not pleasant-- life, love, a conversation, you name it, the etiquette is that you must begin in ignorance & persevere in the face of knowledge, & though I naturally believe that this is profoundly wrong it's not nice to go around constantly offending people.

She's sweet" means Asperger's. "She's outdoorsy" means lesbian. "Hmm" is Southern Lady code for: I don't agree with you but am polite enough not to rub your nose in your ignorance. "Nice talking with you" is code for: Party's over, now scoot.

Etiquette for phone solicitors: "Helen Michelle, the way you stop someone from calling again is by saying, 'Thank you so much for calling, but I've just murdered my husband and need to finish digging a hole in the backyard. Good-bye.

Southern Lady Code: a technique by which, if you don't have something nice to say, you say something not-so-nice in a nice way.