Send a Quote Enter a brief message. SendOk2 “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me.” ~ Proverb Source: Appeared in The Christian Recorder of March 1862, a publication of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, where it is presented as an "old adage."Reflects the common law of civil assault, which holds that mere name-calling does not give rise to a cause of action, while putting someone in fear of physical violence does.