"Speak English" vs. "speak in English" - English Language & Usage …
Jan 5, 2015 · 18. There really isn't much difference in meaning between "speak English" and "speak in English" from a practical point of view. However, the two phrases use a slightly different meaning of the verb "to speak". In the first the meaning is "be able to communicate in a language" such as "he speaks English fluently", in the second you are ...
"Speak to" vs. "Speak with" - English Language & Usage Stack …
The OED makes does not call out either of the two phrasal verbs “to speak with━━” or “to speak to━━” as being more commonly seen in Britain vs elsewhere. Here is the first sense for “to speak with━━”: To converse with, talk to; to consult or confer with. In Old English and early Middle English similarly with mid. 971 Blickl.
grammar - Speak to (topic) or speak on (topic)? - English …
Apr 24, 2019 · 1. To "speak to" an issue or concern is to address that concern. In this sense, "speak to" is a phrasal verb, and the adverb particle ("to") gives the expression a meaning different from its use in an instance where "to" is strictly a preposition, as in "She will speak to the mayor." To "speak on" a subject is to speak about it in a more ...
grammar - What's the difference between "speak" and "talk ...
Dec 5, 2013 · Is the distinction between “speak” and “talk” a feature of many languages, or is it just a peculiarity of English? Etymologically, both words are from Germanic origins. “Talk” seems to have been formed from the Middle English tale , even though “speak” already existed in the English language by then (as far as I can tell).
differences - "Speak loudly" vs "speak aloud" - English Language ...
Mar 11, 2016 · Speaking aloud is the opposite of keeping it to yourself. Speaking loudly is the opposite of speaking in a calm manner. – RegDwigнt. Mar 10, 2016 at 21:39. 2. I think this question is "Too Basic" for ELU - that's to say "Please include the research you've done" (because we don't think it's adequate).
linguistics - Meaning of "native speaker of English" - English …
Mar 2, 2018 · 54. A "native speaker of English" refers to someone who has learned and used English from early childhood. It does not necessarily mean that it is the speaker's only language, but it means it is and has been the primary means of concept formation and communication. It means having lived in a truly English-speaking culture during one's formative ...
Languages understandable to English-speakers without learning
Mar 5, 2013 · American English is English, just as Mexican Spanish is Spanish. These are not separate languages, despite your constant campaigning to make people agree with you about this. If you think otherwise, please compare English with French, German, or Chinese — that is what it means to be separate languages. Don’t mislead yourself into thinking ...
When should the word "English" be capitalized?
Aug 27, 2010 · I don't think "the English language" is a compound noun. The word "English" behaves as an adjective in other contexts: "they are English", "a very English tradition". It has the suffix "-ish", which is associated with adjectives rather than nouns. The use of "English" as a noun referring to a language seems to be a type of ellipsis. –
word choice - What shall I use, "with" or "to"? - English Language ...
Apr 25, 2017 · They used to talk with their friends on the back porch or on the beach. This usage of "talk to" seems to indicate brief conversation about something specific whereas "talk with" hints at somewhat longer and more general conversation that is a way of 'spending time together'. However the two forms can often be used interchangeably as in.
Word: an inability to understand a spoken language - English …
May 4, 2016 · 4. Illiterate is used to describe someone who cannot read. I am looking for a word to describe someone who cannot understand a spoken language. David was [unable to understand French] {People are speaking french around him} Jean's friends were laughing about a joke, but David was [unable to understand French] and didn't know what they were ...