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Speak Quotes

The languages, and limits, people speak within.

A couple of these speak quotes are about language and identity specifically, children translating for family members, and a cultural background where the expected native language was never actually spoken at home. The Language collection covers this in more depth.

I have to get out once a week and speak with people or I start thinking I'm the emperor of Abyssinia.

Quotes by Graham Joyce

I'm just going to let my record in Congress speak for itself.

Quotes by Grace Meng

You have to really understand how people speak, and you have to reconstruct it... Most pleasure in writing, you know, is in inventing.

Quotes by Grace Paley

When your work speaks, you don't need to speak at all.

Quotes by Govinda

When I speak of drama, I'm really referring to just 'desperately trying not to be ordinary'. Trying to get something that has a little bit of friction, conflict, absurdity.

Quotes by Gore Verbinski

American professional athletes are bilingual; they speak English and profanity.

Quotes by Gordie Howe

At synods, I usually wait about a week before I speak. First I listen. I feel the temperature. I listen to what has been said, what has not been said, and what I think needs to be said at that...

Quotes by Godfried Danneels

I prepared my intervention the night before I spoke. As it happened, there were about 44 cardinals who wished to speak but could not because there was not enough time. I was one of the last to speak.

Quotes by Godfried Danneels

When I speak in English, my expressions become different. My attitude, too. I'm not sure why, but there really is a difference. My hands move differently when I speak English.

Quotes by Gong Li

There are certain realities we must speak of with our children that were not present when I was a child.

Quotes by Gloria Estefan

I started performing very young as a salsa dancer, and every time I was on that stage dancing, all I knew was that I wanted to speak. I wanted the music to stop, and I wanted to speak.

Quotes by Gina Rodriguez

Being an actress wasn't realistic. I knew that I was going to have to do it in a way that would speak to my parents. So I went to NYU Tisch School of the Arts for theater, and I studied...

Quotes by Gina Rodriguez

I ask everyone's opinion when they don't speak up. And then when they have an opinion, I'll ask others to talk about it.

Quotes by Ginni Rometty

Accents are very sexy. American girls who speak French are very attractive to a Frenchman. Anything exotic or different is attractive.

Quotes by Gilles Marini

But the problem is that when I go around and speak on campuses, I still don't get young men standing up and saying, 'How can I combine career and family?'

Quotes by Gertrude Stein

I try to be careful to not just say it's a greatest hits show because we've also made efforts to keep people up to date so to speak because we continually write and record and put out albums.

Quotes by Gerry Beckley

To speak about the criticism of Messi is to give strength to something that does not deserve any type of analysis.

Quotes by Gerardo Martino

I speak Spanish to my children and they speak it better than me.

Quotes by Geraldo Rivera

I went from somebody who didn't sing to somebody who didn't speak.

Quotes by Gerard Butler

All my children have spoken for themselves since they first learned to speak, and not always with my advance approval, and I expect that to continue in the future.

Quotes by Gerald R. Ford

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a quote about children speaking another language?
Yes — a proud one: "My children speak very good Chinese, and they translate for our American friends." It highlights language skill as something to be proud of within a family. For more quotes about language and communication, see Language quotes.
Is there a quote about identity and language not matching expectations?
Yes — a direct one: "I'm a Persian Jew, and we don't speak Hebrew." It's a clear, honest statement correcting an assumption people might make. For more quotes about knowing and understanding people better, browse Know quotes.
Is there a quote using "speak" as a figure of speech?
Yes — one uses the phrase casually: "I just sort of follow my bliss, so to speak, and then I see where that takes me." Here "speak" isn't literal — it's part of a common expression about following your instincts. For more relaxed, conversational quotes like this, check out Like quotes.
Is there a quote about not wanting to hear certain people speak?
Yes — a strong one: "There are evil people, and I don't even want to hear those guys speak." It's a forceful statement about refusing to give a platform to certain voices. For more strongly held opinions like this, see Always quotes.
What's the range of ways "speak" is used across these quotes?
From literal fluency in a language, to correcting assumptions, to a common expression, to refusing to listen — these quotes show how flexible the word "speak" really is.

Others use the word more loosely, one following an instinct rather than a plan, another admitting discomfort even listening to certain harmful views. Continue with Know quotes or Always quotes.