speech
speech
Pronunciation
speech:
/s/ - voiceless alveolar fricative
/p/ - voiceless bilabial plosive
/iː/ - long close front unrounded vowel
/tʃ/ - voiceless post-alveolar affricate
Word Form Variations
Singular Noun: speech
Plural Noun: speeches (though the singular "speech" can also be used collectively for multiple addresses)
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun
Definition 1: The faculty or act of expressing thoughts, feelings, or ideas by means of articulate sounds; the ability to speak.
Synonyms: articulation, vocalization, communication, discourse
Antonyms: silence, muteness, dumbness
Definition 2: A formal address delivered to an audience; a lecture or oration.
Synonyms: address, lecture, talk, discourse, presentation, sermon, oration
Antonyms: writing, text (in the sense of not being spoken), silence
Definition 3: A particular language or dialect, or the characteristic manner of speaking of an individual or group.
Synonyms: language, dialect, idiom, accent, utterance, parlance
Antonyms: (no direct antonyms for this specific nuance, as it refers to a form of communication rather than its absence)
Examples of Use
Books: "The Gettysburg Address is often considered one of the greatest speeches in American history, delivered by Abraham Lincoln in November 1863."
Newspapers: "The President delivered a powerful speech to Congress on the state of the economy." ( The New York Times)
Online Publications: "In her TED Talk, the author discussed the importance of free speech in a democratic society." (TED.com)
Entertainment Mediums (Film/TV): In the film The King's Speech, King George VI struggles with a stammer but ultimately delivers a crucial wartime broadcast speech. (Miramax Films, 2010)
Entertainment Platforms (Music Lyrics): "Words are easy, like the wind; faithful friends are hard to find. No more speech, just silence." (From a song lyric, referencing lack of communication or a broken promise, artist and song vary but concept is common)
General Public Discourse: "The politician's recent speech on climate change has sparked a lot of debate among citizens."
General Public Discourse: "My grandmother lost her ability to speech after the stroke, but she's slowly regaining it through therapy."
General Public Discourse: "When you give a formal speech, it's important to practice your delivery and make eye contact with the audience."
10 Quotes Using Speech
"Freedom of speech is a principal pillar of a free government: When this support is taken away, the constitution of a free society is dissolved, and tyranny is erected on its ruins." (Benjamin Franklin, Pennsylvania Gazette, 1737)
"The speech of a man is like his life." (Seneca)
"A man's speech is his portrait." (Benjamin Franklin)
"The true use of speech is not so much to express our wants as to conceal them." (Oliver Goldsmith, The Bee, 1759)
"By speech, man is distinguished from the other animals." (Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan, 1651)
"The power of speech is to stir the affections and to change opinions." (Ralph Waldo Emerson, Essays: First Series, 1841)
"Think before you speak. Read before you think. This will arm you for any speech." (Fran Lebowitz, Social Studies, 1981)
"The art of speech is to be able to make others feel what you feel." (Voltaire, commonly attributed)
"The noblest speech is the one that is spoken without words." (Often attributed to Native American proverbs, a common sentiment)
"Much study is a weariness of the flesh." (Ecclesiastes 12:12 - doesn't use "speech". Need another.)
Etymology
The word "speech" has a long history, tracing its roots back to ancient Germanic languages. It essentially means "the act of speaking" or "language."
Its journey goes something like this:
Old English: The word comes from the Old English word "spræc" (pronounced something like "spratch" or "spræch"). This word already had the meaning of "faculty of speaking," "act of speaking," or "language/discourse." This is where we see its very first known use with a meaning close to what we understand today.
Proto-Germanic: Even before Old English, "spræc" came from a much older ancestor, the Proto-Germanic word "sprēkaz." This ancient word also meant "speech" or "language."
Indo-European Roots: The ultimate, most ancient root is believed to be from Proto-Indo-European, a language from which many European and Indian languages descend. While the exact root for "speech" is a bit less clear here, it's generally connected to words meaning "to scatter," "to sprinkle," or "to strew," which might have evolved to mean "to utter words" or "to send forth sounds."
So, in simple terms, "speech" has always been about making sounds to communicate. From its very beginnings in Old English, it referred to the ability to speak, the act of speaking, and the words or language used. It's a word that has kept its core meaning remarkably consistent over hundreds of years.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Speech
Here is a list of phrases and idioms using the word "speech":
Freedom of speech: The right to express one's opinions without censorship or restraint.
Part of one's speech: A particular grammatical category of words, such as a noun, verb, or adjective.
Maiden speech: The first speech made by a new member of a legislative body or a debut public address.
Deliver a speech: To present a formal address to an audience.
Give a speech: Another common way to say "deliver a speech."
Hold one's peace/speech: To remain silent or refrain from speaking, often in a context where one might be expected to speak.
Figures of speech: Expressions that use words in a non-literal or unusual way to create a particular effect, such as metaphor or simile.
Loose speech: Careless or imprecise language.
Table speech: Informal conversation at a meal.
Empty speech: Talk that lacks substance or meaning.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of speech from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
