Deborah Tannen

For most women, the language of conversation is primarily a language of rapport: a way of establishing connections and negotiating relationships.

We tend to look through language and not realize how much power language has.

The biggest mistake is believing there is one right way to listen, to talk, to have a conversation - or a relationship.

We should remember that there are nations which meet more than 30 to 60% of their power requirements through the nuclear power system.

There is probably an element of malice in our readiness to overestimate people - we are, as it were, laying up for ourselves the pleasure of later cutting them down to size.

Hatred is a very underestimated emotion.