What is the difference between "Talk"(VERB) and "Speak"(VERB)

Hi David -- the quickest way to give you an answer is to tell you to type "talk" and "speak" into the search box at the top of the page and you will find links to many previous discussions of this question. If you still have questions after looking at a few of the links, post here again and I'll try to help.

I don't think that they are the same. I ain't a Grammar expert, but here are some examples to demonstrate the difference:

They talked for a while.
He is talking about the issue.
They talk business.
Money talks.

A baby cannot speak.
He speaks to her.
He is speaking of the issue.

There seems some content focused in "talk" but not in "speak".

P

Thank you Khoff and Edison1610.

Hi David,

I think you may find this thread helpful.



Although I don't agree with many of Edison's comments about use "talk" here and "speak" here (I think either work for many of them) his point about using talk to emphasize content and speak to emphasize the interaction is right on.

Thank you very much
Grammar Geek.

They talked for a while.
(they were in conversation)
They speaked for a while.
(they made sound)

He is talking about the issue.
He is speaking of the issue.
(both are the same but the prepositions are different)

They talk business.
(they discuss business)
They speak business
(wrong)

Money talks.
(idiom)
Money speaks.
(we don't

Edison1610They talked for a while.
(they were in conversation)
They speaked for a while.
(they made sound)

To me, "they talked for a while" and "they spoke for a while" convey the same meaning.

Me too. I don't agree with many of Edison's distinction.

If I have a very sore throat, I say "I can't talk" not "I can't speak," which seems to negate the "making sound" part of the argument.

Thank you
Edison1610.

When you had a sore throat, you could at least make sounds to speak "I can't talk." Yet you couldn't talk, you couldn't talk either longer sentences, dicussion or business. This is my point of view.