speak and talk

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speak and talk

rach81

speak and talk

Can anyone please explain to me the distinction of speak and talk?

Is it "May I speak to you, or May I talk to you". She speaks too fast or she talks too fast? I know that we say, She speaks English not talks English. But can you please explain the distiction? When to use speak and talk?

Thanks!

17 Mar 2009

SusanBrown

RACH

You can find very some clear and good explanations about SPEAK AND SAY OR TELL IN MY WORKSHEET I DID.

Have a look here:

http://www.eslprintables.com/printable.asp?id=175436#thetop

Hugs

SUZANA/BRAZIL

17 Mar 2009

Zora

Well, THAT is not very helpful... advertising ones worksheet instead of simply answering Rach ´s question. Confused

Speak and talk are very similar - speak also means "discuss" (also, it could be almost like "lecturing" someone...)

Speak is more "formal" at times.

You speak with a teacher, your boss, etc. It implies a seriousness to the conversation.

They spoke about the accident to the kids. - Implies that they are having a discussion or are lecturing them about whatever.

Talk is more informal, used in every day type English, it doesn ´t imply "seriousness" (necessarily).

Pat talks to his friends on the phone.

They were talking about going to Paris for the summer.

They talked for hours about the accident with the kids. - means that they aren ´t lecturing, they are talking informally about the situation.

Now, if you add a "May or Can I" before either it means basically the same thing... a serious thing is probably meant/need to be discussed by that person.

If you have any questions, give me a shout! Smile

17 Mar 2009

Mar (itxasobcn)

Suzylima, if you want to give grammar explanations you ´re welcome.

If you want to advertise your own worksheets, do it privately, not on the forum.

You know the rules.

Have a nice day!

17 Mar 2009

rach81

Wow thanks Zora that helped a lot. Nice explanation.

I really like this site. I ´m thankful to have found this.

Thanks again and more power!

17 Mar 2009

Anna P

And the difference between ´speak to ´ and ´speak with ´?

17 Mar 2009

Pam_D

Hi,

I ´d also add the following distinction:

The verb to speak means "speak" in the sense of make sounds within an intelligible language.

The verb to talk means "talk" within the meaning of a conversation.

Regards

17 Mar 2009

Zora

Usually, and I say "usually" the difference between "speak to" and "speak with" is:

Speak to is more for when you are "talking to a person"...

She is speaking to Tom ´s mothers about his marks. - probably means she is telling his mom about his marks or trying to find out why they are so bad or so good.

Speak with is more for a discussion type conversation...

She is speaking with Tom ´s mother about his marks. - means she is discussing the marks with the mother - who most likely knows about them or doesn´t know, but the discussion is there and they are trying to solve the sitution..

17 Mar 2009

alien boy

"speak to"implies a one way discussion.

"speak with" implies bi or multi-input discussion.

or that ´s the impression I get!

17 Mar 2009

Tere-arg

Both means to communicate by using your voice.

to speak is a lonely act = somebody speaks and others listen

to talk implies exchange = two or more changing ideas, thoughts, etc

"The lecturer was speaking when he had to stop to beg silence as there were some people talking."

As regards the use of to or with, you will find both of them used with both prepositions in American English, but in British English you talk to sb about sth and NOT with

17 Mar 2009

alien boy

From Swan ´s Practical English Usage, 3rd ed (please note that it is British English with some additional notation about American English):

Some AmE prepositional uses and phrasal verb forms are moving into BrE.
...
Can I speak with Cathy? (instead of ... speak to ... )
...

553 speak and talk

1 little difference
There is little difference between speak and talk. In certain situations one or the other is preferred, but they are usually both possible.

2 formality
Talk is the more usual word for informal communication.

When she walked into the room everybody stopped talking.
Could I talk to you about the football match for a few minutes?

Speak is often used for communication in more serious or formal situations.
I ´ll have to speak to that boy - he ´s getting very lazy.
They had a row last week, and now they ´re not speaking to one another.
After she had finished reading the letter, nobody spoke.

3 lectures etc
Talk is often used for the act of giving an informal lecture (a talk); speak is preferred for more formal lectures, sermons etc. Compare:
This is Patrick Alien, who ´s going to talk to us about gardening.
This is Professor Rosalind Bouien, who is going to speak to us on recent
developments in low-temperature physics.
The Pope spoke to the crowd for seventy minutes about world peace.

4 languages
Speak is the usual word to refer to knowledge and use of languages, and to the
physical ability to speak.
She speaks three languages fluently.
We spoke French so that the children wouldn ´t understand.
His throat operation has left him unable to speak.

5 other cases
One usually asks to speak to somebody on the phone (AmEalso speak with).
Hello. Could I speak to Karen, please?

Talk is used before sense, nonsense and other words with similar meanings.
You ´re talking complete nonsense, as usual. (NOT You ´re speaking complete nonsense ... )

Cheers,
AB

17 Mar 2009

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