“ When did the word 'compromise' get compromised? When did the negative connotations of 'He was caught in a compromising position' or 'She compromised her ethics' replace the positive connotations of 'T… Deborah Tannen
“ When daughters react with annoyance or even anger at the smallest, seemingly innocent remarks, mothers get the feeling that talking to their daughters can be like walking on eggshells: they have to wa… Deborah Tannen
“ The biggest mistake is believing there is one right way to listen, to talk, to have a conversation - or a relationship. Deborah Tannen
“ Conversations with sisters can spark extremes of anger or extremes of love. Everything said between sisters carries meaning not only from what was just said but from all the conversations that came be… Deborah Tannen
“ For most women, the language of conversation is primarily a language of rapport: a way of establishing connections and negotiating relationships. Deborah Tannen
“ The death of compromise has become a threat to our nation as we confront crucial issues such as the debt ceiling and that most basic of legislative responsibilities: a federal budget. At stake is the… Deborah Tannen
“ Much of my work over the years has developed the premise that women's styles of friendship and conversation aren't inherently better than men's, simply different. Deborah Tannen
“ The Pavlovian view of women voters - 'plug the words in, and they will respond' - sends a chill down my spine because it sounds like an adaptation of something I have written about communication betwe… Deborah Tannen
“ In a world of status, independence is key, because a primary means of establishing status is to tell others what to do, and taking orders is a marker of low status. Though all humans need both intimac… Deborah Tannen
“ Communication is a continual balancing act, juggling the conflicting needs for intimacy and independence. To survive in the world, we have to act in concert with others, but to survive as ourselves, r… Deborah Tannen
“ We all want, above all, to be heard. We want to be understood—heard for what we think we are saying, for what we know we meant. Deborah Tannen
