As every advertiser knows, the impeccably-placed word speaks volumes. Talking shop a little here, these seven words can alter perceptions:
1] really, as in: “She’s really quite marvellous for her age,” which one is not expecting her to be and you, personally, wish to convince the listener by taking it as read;
2] should, as in: “Should you see her, give her a message, would you?” which immediately, geographically and demographically pinpoints you;
3] I believe, as in Christie’s: “Raymond’s books are really quite clever, I believe,” which speaks for itself;
4] marvellous, as used above, which immediately identifies you as of a certain standard of education and of a certain age;
5] damned, as in: “The damned imbeciles,” which identifies you as a knockabout lad of a certain station in society;
6] quite, in combination and alone, as in your rejoinder to a tall tale of excuse: “Quite!”; and
7] the American: “Yeah, right,” which is the rare double positive as negative.
Pity we can’t show gestures through print as I’m given to using the raised eyebrow [always one], the stony silence, the long drawn-out: “Yes” and the bashful smile with the reddening cheeks, the litany of the rogue.