A colleague of mine in the UK is working on a project called "Be Nice."  It principally looks at the role of politeness and polite language in learning.  Do learners learn better if feedback is polite?  Does harsh feedback achieve better results?  These are some of the questions she is examining.

I'm a believer in the notion that it's not what you say, it's how you say it.  Saying something nicely will get the same results as and build more community than a harsh word, most of the time anyway. 

I'm a believer but, alas, the flesh is weak.  I sometimes fall prey to fits of temper or frustration where a harsh word is just about all that will leave my lips if I part them.  And so I try the next best thing which is to keep my mouth shut.

This is one of the resolutions I've made following the trip: to take a vow of silence when my temper threatens to get the better of me.  It's going to be a very quiet year ahead...