Sadje’s Sunday Poser — How, What, Who

Fandango

There’s an old saying that goes, “It’s not what you say, it’s how you say it.” That saying has been attributed to Mae West, an American stage and film actress, playwright, screenwriter, singer, and sex symbol. But who said it, in my opinion, is not as important as what was said.

That saying may be applicable for verbal interactions, where you’re communicating face-to-face or orally. But as bloggers, we depend upon the written word. That said, often how you “say” it helps communicate what you have to say. You can use humor to enhance your message. You can also be sure to use proper grammar, punctuation, and usage to ensure that your readers aren’t distracted, causing your words to lose, if not their meaning, at least their impact. So, both what and how you say (write) it, are important.

Now Sadje has added a new dimension to this familiar question by throwing in who to the what and how. She asks…

When you use a quote, what’s more important: who said it or what they said?

Again, in the context of blogging, I usually search for interesting, relatable, and sometimes controversial quotes to use for my responses to Linda G. Hill’s One-Liner Wednesday prompts. Some of the quotes I use are from “anonymous,” in which case, “who” I’m quoting is unknown. But my objective is to focus on what the person I’m quoting said. I don’t really care who I’m quoting as long as what words I’m quoting resonate.

So, to answer Sadje’s Sunday Poser question, when it comes to choosing quotes for my blog, more often than not, it’s what they said that is more important that who said it.

9 thoughts on “Sadje’s Sunday Poser — How, What, Who”

  1. Carol anne May 22, 2022 / 4:37 pm

    I agree! What is said is more important to me than who actually said those words!

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  2. Sadje May 22, 2022 / 6:02 pm

    Thanks Fandango for your detailed analysis. I, myself mostly go by the words of wisdom in the quote and not by who said it. But I think it pays to research the person the quote is attributed to.

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    • Fandango May 22, 2022 / 7:34 pm

      I agree with knowing who the source is before quoting him or her, but I still feel that in most instances, it’s the words that matter more than the source.

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  5. leigha66 May 25, 2022 / 5:56 am

    I agree. Sure it might influence what you think of a quote when it is someone you are a fan of, but overall it should not sway you from using the words. (A note: in your last sentence, I think you meant than instead of that.)

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