Word Confusion: Speak versus Talk

Posted August 31, 2023 by Kathy Davie in Author Resources, Self-Editing, Word Confusions, Writing

In this word confusion speak versus talk, there isn’t much difference. They are synonyms for each other and mean using your voice to say something.

That said, speak is used in more formal situations or with someone you don’t know well. Speak can also indicate a lecture in which someone speaks, when referring to speaking a language, or when talking about someone who spoke on a topic.

Talk is for more informal encounters and generally indicates a conversation in which one person talks and the other person listens and vice versa.

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Word Confusions . . .

. . . started as my way of dealing with a professional frustration with properly spelled words that were out of context in manuscripts I was editing as well as books I was reviewing. It evolved into a sharing of information with y’all. I’m hoping you’ll share with us words that have been a bête noire for you from either end.

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Speak	Talk
An Interesting Speech? by Oliver Tacke is under the CC BY 2.0 license, via Wikimedia Commons. — Doesn’t look like the speaker is very interesting.	A Young Woman and a Man Stand and Talk at a Café by rawpixel is in the public domain, via Freerange.
Part of Grammar:
Combined form ¹; Verb ², intransitive & transitive Gerund: speaking Third person present verb: speaks Past tense: spoke Past participle: spoken Present participle: speaking	Noun; Verb, intransitive & transitive Plural for the noun: talks Gerund: talking Third person present verb: talks Past tense or past participle: talked Present participle: talking
Combined form: Forming nouns denoting a manner of speaking, characteristic of a specified field or group ¹ Verb, intransitive: Say something in order to convey information, an opinion, or a feeling ² To convey information through another person To act as spokesperson Have a conversation Make a speech before an audience, or make a contribution to a debate To express thoughts or feelings to convey information in speech or writing To be friendly or willing to communicate Be on speaking terms [Of a musical instrument or other object] Make a sound when functioning [Used of guns or cannon] To give off a sound on firing To produce a characteristic sound To convey a message by nonverbal means To give an indication or suggestion To be appealing To make a reservation or request (usually used with for) Verb, transitive: Say something in order to convey information, an opinion, or a feeling ² Utter (a word, message, speech, etc.) Communicate in or be able to communicate in (a specified language) [Of behavior, an object, etc.] Serve as evidence for something [Archaic; with infinitive or adverbial] Show or manifest (someone or something) to be in a particular state or to possess a certain quality [Nautical] To hail and communicate with (another vessel) at sea To convey by nonverbal means	Noun: [ Mass noun] Communication by spoken words Conversation or discussion [Countable noun] A period of conversation or discussion, especially a relatively serious one Rumor, gossip, or speculation Empty promises or boasting [the talk of] A current subject of widespread gossip or speculation in (a particular place) [Formal; talks] Formal discussions or negotiations over a period An informal address or lecture Verb, intransitive: Speak in order to give information or express ideas or feelings Converse or communicate by spoken words Have the power of speech Discuss personal or intimate feelings Reveal secret or confidential information Gossip Have formal dealings or discussions Negotiate Verb, transitive: Speak in order to give information or express ideas or feelings Converse or communicate by spoken words [With adverbial] Persuade or cause (someone) to do something by talking [Informal; be talking] Used to emphasize the seriousness, importance, or extent of the thing one is discussing
Examples:
Combined form: It was all technospeak. She was a plain-spoken woman. Artspeak is “the scourge of artist’s statements, press releases, and catalogues, a language so riddled with semiotic buzzwords that any potential meaning is obscured” (Cembalest). Futurespeak is a fan’s guide to the language of science fiction by Roberta Rogow. “In the shorthand of political adspeak, ‘Washington’ is the embodiment of something — perhaps everything — wrong with politics and government” (Farhi). He was too smooth-spoken for my taste. Verb, intransitive: In his agitation he was unable to speak. She refused to speak about the incident. Last time we spoke, you told me you couldn’t do the job. I’ll speak to him if he calls. I wish to speak privately with you. Twenty thousand people attended to hear him speak. He spoke of his desire to travel. In her poem she speaks about loss. Their book speaks about adopting children. They are no longer speaking. I speak for the entire staff. The family spoke to the media through their trusted adviser. The gun spoke again. The dog spoke. We spoke for hours. Actions speak louder than words. His manners spoke of good upbringing. His poetry speaks to one’s heart. Has anyone spoken for the last piece of pizza? The drums spoke. Verb, transitive: Patients copy words spoken by the therapist. My mother spoke Russian. His frame spoke tiredness. She had seen nothing that spoke him of immoral habits. We spoke a whaler on the fourth day at sea. His eyes spoke volumes.	Noun: There was a slight but noticeable lull in the talk. My mother had a talk with Louis. There is talk of an armistice. He’s all talk. Within days I was the talk of the town. The peace talks were failing. There’s a thirty-minute illustrated talk scheduled. They’re planning a talk on a day in the life of an actor. Verb, intransitive: The two men talked. We’d sit and talk about jazz. It was no use talking to Anthony. He can talk as well as you or I can. We need to talk, Maggie. Dead men can’t talk. You’ll have the whole school talking. They won’t talk to the regime that killed their families. The company is talking with a few private equity firms. Verb, transitive: You’re talking rubbish. Keep on walking and talk your way out of it. We’re talking big money.
Derivatives:
Adjective: speakable, speaking, spoken Adverb: speakably Noun: speakableness, speaker, speakerphone, speakership, speaking Verb: speaketh	Adjective: talkative, talkier, talkiest, talking, talky Adverb: talkatively Noun: talkathon, talkativeness, talkback, talker, talkfest, talkie, talkiness, talking, talking-to
Phrasal Verb
speak for speak for someone speak of speak of something speak out speak to speak to someone speak to something speak up	talk around talk around someone talk someone around talk at talk at someone talk back talk down talk down someone talk down something talk someone down talk something down talk down to talk down to someone talk into talk someone into something talk out talk out something talk something out talk out of talk someone out of something talk over talk over something talk something over talk through talk something through talk through something talk someone through something talk to talk to someone talk up talk someone up talk something up talk up someone talk up something
History of the Word:
A combining form extracted from newspeak (coined by George Orwell in his novel, 1984), used in the formation of compound words, usually derogatory, derisive, or facetious, that denote the style or vocabulary of a discipline, person, era, etc., as specified by the initial element. Old English sprecan, later specan is of West Germanic origin and related to the Dutch spreken and the German sprechen.	Middle English frequentative verb from the Germanic base of tale or tell.

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C’mon, get it out of your system, bitch, whine, moan . . . which words are your pet peeves? Also, please note that I try to be as accurate as I can, but mistakes happen or I miss something. Email me if you find errors, so I can fix them . . . and we’ll all benefit!

Satisfy your curiosity about other Word Confusions on its homepage or more generally explore the index of self-editing posts. You may also want to explore Book Layout & Formatting Ideas, Formatting Tips, Grammar Explanations, Linguistics, Publishing Tips, the Properly Punctuated, Writing Ideas and Resources, and Working Your Website.

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Resources for Speak versus Talk

Some of these links may be affiliate links, and I will earn a small percentage, if you should buy it. It does not affect the price you pay.

Apple Dictionary.com

Cembalest, Robin. “How to Speak Artspeak (Properly).” ArtNews.com. 31 Oct 2013. Accessed 30 Aug 2023. <https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/how-to-speak-artspeak-properly-2328/>.

Dictionary.com: speak

Farhi, Paul. “Candidates Get to Washington By Distancing Themselves.” Washington Post. 12 Oct 2006. Accessed 30 Aug 2023. <https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/2006/10/12/candidates-get-to-washington-by-distancing-themselves/e38edc4a-b198-43cd-a9da-11759464b604/>.

The Free Dictionary.com: speak

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