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Rpsh Posted 13 years ago
Vocabulary

speak up, not speak out

"Speak Up, Not Out – We’re raising a generation of sh-t talkers. In your workplace this is a cancer. If you have issues with management, culture or your role & responsibilities, SPEAK UP. Don’t take those complaints and trash-talk the company or co-workers on lunch breaks and anonymous chat boards. If you can effectively communicate what needs to be improved, you have the ability to shape your surroundings and professional destiny."

I think "speak up" is familiar to "speak out" previously. But in this paragraph, they have different meanings visibly. Could you tell me what's the difference between them?
  

Top answer

It's perhaps not the best choice of phrases. To speak out means to talk against something, but it usually carries the idea of speaking where your voice will be heard. In this paragraph, it is being used in the sense of gossip or speaking behind someone's back.

— Elanguest

  • It's perhaps not the best choice of phrases.
  • To speak out means to talk against something, but it usually carries the idea of speaking where your voice will be heard.
  • In this paragraph, it is being used in the sense of gossip or speaking behind someone's back.
  • The writer is contrasting speaking overtly and covertly, but he probably just chose the opening line as a catchphrase.
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4 Answers
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It's perhaps not the best choice of phrases. To speak outmeans to talk against something, but it usually carries the idea of speaking where your voice will be heard. In this paragraph, it is being used in the sense of gossip or speaking behind someone's back. The writer is contrasting speaking overtly and covertly, but he probably just chose the opening line as a catchphrase.
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Drawing a distinction between the two prepositions, one could say that "speaking up" would refer to projecting your voice vertically (= speaking openly and publicly so that the people "above" you can hear that -- your boss or some other authorities) whereas "speaking out" would refer to projecting your voice horizontally (= complaining to people who are at the same level as you -- your co-workers
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ElanguestIt's perhaps not the best choice of phrases. To speak outmeans to talk against something, but it usually carries the idea of speaking where your voice will be heard. In this paragraph, it is being used in the sense of gossip or speaking behind someone's back. The writer is contrasting speaking overtly and covertly, but he probably just chose the opening line as a
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Yes, it could, but I just meant the line he used to introduce the paragraph. Emotion: smile
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