speak softly and carry a big stick

English

Alternative forms

• talk softly and carry a big stick
• walk softly and carry a big stick

Etymology

Often attributed to U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919) as an expression of his view of foreign policy, possibly of earlier origin according to his account, but with a probability of he himself having coined it.

Proverb

speak softly and carry a big stick

1. Do not boast or utter verbal threats, but do make others aware that you are prepared to use physical force if necessary.
   • 1903 April 3, Theodore Roosevelt, President Roosevelt's Speech on the Monroe Doctrine," Arizona Journal-Miner, p. 4 (retrieved 19 Dec 2011):

     There is a homely old adage which runs: "Speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far."

   • 1917, Thorstein Veblen, The Nature of Peace, Introductory:

     Under any governmental auspices, as the modern world knows governments, the keeping of the peace comes at its best under the precept, "Speak softly and carry a big stick."

   • 1999 January 17, Tom Kuntz, “Word for Word/Representative James A. Traficant Jr.”, in New York Times, retrieved 19 December 2011:

     When it comes to China, we have gone from "Speak softly and carry a big stick" to "Take the fifth and carry a toothpick". (from a Congressional speech by Rep. James Traficant, June 22, 1998)

Translations

do not boast but do make others aware that you are prepared to use force

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 溫言在口，大棒在手／温言在口，大棒在手 (wēnyán zài kǒu, dàbàng zài shǒu)

• Greek: όπου δεν τύπτει λόγος τύπτει ράβδος (el) (ópou den týptei lógos týptei rávdos)

  Ancient Greek: ὃν οὐ τύπτει λόγος, τύπτει ῥάβδος (hòn ou túptei lógos, túptei rhábdos)

• Latin: post verba verbera

See also

• you get more with a kind word and a gun than you do with a kind word alone

References

• “speak softly and carry a big stick”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.