The ritual phrase
At the end of nearly every scientific talk, a hand rises in the audience and the question begins with: “Thank you for your nice talk.”
It is such a familiar phrase that we barely notice it. It functions as a ritual opening, a small act of deference before speaking. In principle, there is nothing wrong with courtesy. Yet, when repeated without thought, it becomes empty. We say it because everyone else does, because we need a few seconds to collect our thoughts, or because beginning with a question feels abrupt without a preamble.
The result is that every talk, regardless of quality, is declared “nice.” And that, perhaps, tells us something about academic manners.
Courtesy or conformity?
Politeness has its place in science. Academic life depends on collaboration, mutual respect, and professional civility. But habitual politeness can turn into conformity. When we praise every presentation equally, we blur the distinction between talks that were rigorous, stimulating, or well-structured, and those that were confusing, superficial, or poorly delivered.
Of course, saying that a talk was “not nice” would be rude and unnecessary. Yet pretending that all talks are equally enjoyable is also misleading. There is a middle ground between flattery and hostility, a language of genuine appreciation. We could say, for example, “I appreciated your clear explanation of methods,” or “Your results raised an interesting point about…”. These phrases convey engagement rather than formulaic politeness.
The psychology of habit
There may be another reason this phrase persists. For many of us, speaking in public is stressful, and facing questions is even more so. Starting with “Thank you for your nice talk” signals empathy. It reassures the speaker that we are friendly. It also gives the questioner a few seconds to gather courage before expressing disagreement.
But this politeness ritual can also protect us from honesty. It smooths away tension that might otherwise lead to a more substantive exchange. In a sense, it mirrors the wider culture of academia, where mild praise is safer than precise critique, and where social harmony often outweighs intellectual friction.
Beyond “nice”
Perhaps we should not ban the phrase entirely, but rather use it consciously. If a talk truly inspired or impressed us, we should feel free to say so and to explain why. If not, there are better ways to open a question: directly, respectfully, and without ceremony.
The most meaningful way to thank a speaker is through attention, curiosity, and thoughtful dialogue. Listening well and responding honestly is far more valuable than any polite sentence rehearsed out of habit.