Always and never are two words you should always remember never to use.

Wendell Johnson, a University of Iowa speech pathologist and influential writer on language and communication, is commonly credited with this aphorism in the context of advising clearer, less absolutist speech. The line circulates especially in materials about semantics, counseling, and speech/communication training—areas where Johnson emphasized how word choices can intensify conflict, distort perception, and lock people into rigid positions. The quip functions as a memorable teaching device: by embedding “always” and “never” inside the sentence, it demonstrates the very absolutism it warns against, making the lesson easy to recall in everyday conversation and self-talk.

The line is a self-referential warning against absolutist language. “Always” and “never” promise certainty, but in ordinary life they are usually exaggerations that ignore exceptions and complexity. Johnson’s point is both logical and interpersonal: such words can make claims easy to refute (“one counterexample disproves ‘always’”) and can harden disagreements by turning specific complaints into total judgments. The aphorism also highlights how language habits influence thinking—when we speak in absolutes, we tend to perceive in absolutes—so disciplining word choice becomes a way to cultivate nuance, accuracy, and more constructive dialogue.