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SuperESL Posted 14 years ago
Vocabulary
Speak to
I notice often the use of the phrase 'speak to' in the media these days, as in:
"Low buildings speak to you in a way that skyscrapers cannot."
"There are also some wonderful stories written by parents of biracial and bicultural children that speak to their worries, fears and hopes for their offspring."
I have never been able to locate this usage in a dictionary and am not completely sure what the phrase means. Does it mean 'connect with' or 'appeal to' (which seems to fit the first sentence), or 'reflect' or 'echo' (which would fit the second sentence)? Is the phrase even considered a formal English expression?
Thank you.
"Low buildings speak to you in a way that skyscrapers cannot."
"There are also some wonderful stories written by parents of biracial and bicultural children that speak to their worries, fears and hopes for their offspring."
I have never been able to locate this usage in a dictionary and am not completely sure what the phrase means. Does it mean 'connect with' or 'appeal to' (which seems to fit the first sentence), or 'reflect' or 'echo' (which would fit the second sentence)? Is the phrase even considered a formal English expression?
Thank you.
Top answer
Your two examples use "speak to" differently. view=uk def. 1: "( speak to ) answer (a question) or address (an issue or problem): we should be disappointed if the report did not speak to the issue of literacy ".
- Your two examples use "speak to" differently.
- view=uk def.
- 1: "( speak to ) answer (a question) or address (an issue or problem): we should be disappointed if the report did not speak to the issue of literacy ".
- I really had to hunt that down.
- No other dictionary listed the second definition.
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1 Answers
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Your two examples use "speak to" differently. The first is the normal one used figuratively, and the second is http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/speak?view=uk def. 1: "(speak to) answer (a question) or address (an issue or problem): we sh
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