Speech is the small change of silence.
—George Meredith (1828–1909) British Novelist, Poet, Critic
Silence is golden; speech is silver.
—U.S. Proverb
Any man who makes a speech more than six times a year is bound to repeat himself, not because he has little to say, but because he wants applause and the old stuff gets it
—William Feather (1889–1981) American Publisher, Author
Speech is often repented, silence never.
—Danish Proverb
A dog is not considered a good dog because he is a good barker. A man is not considered a good man because he is a good talker.
—Zhuang Zhou (c.369–c.286 BCE) Chinese Taoist Philosopher
A sage thing is timely silence, and better than any speech
—Plutarch (c.46–c.120 CE) Greek Biographer, Philosopher
Speak when you are angry—and you’ll make the best speech you’ll ever regret.
—Laurence J. Peter (1919–90) Canadian-born American Educator, Author
He ‘collects evil with his own mouth’ when he praises one who should be blamed or blames one who should be praised. Such a person will thereby never find happiness.
—Buddhist Teaching
Today’s public figures can no longer write their own speeches or books, and there is some evidence that they can’t read them either.
—Gore Vidal (1925–48) American Novelist, Essayist, Journalist, Playwright
For mankind, speech with a capital S is especially meaningful and committing, more than the content communicated. The outcry of the newborn and the sound of the bells are fraught with mystery more than the baby’s woeful face or the venerable tower.
—Paul Goodman (1911–72) American Novelist, Essayist
Eloquence is the essential thing in a speech, not information
—Mark Twain (1835–1910) American Humorist
Speech is the gift of all, but the thought of few.
—Cato the Elder (Marcus Porcius Cato) (234–149 BCE) Roman Statesman
One should not speak too much nor keep quiet all the time. When it is time to speak, let him speak moderately and not redundantly.
—Buddhist Teaching
We must have reasons for speech but we need none for silence.
—French Proverb
Speech is for the convenience of those who are hard of hearing; but there are many fine things which we cannot say if we have to shout.
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–62) American Philosopher
A fool may be known by six things: anger, without cause; speech, without profit; change, without progress; inquiry without object; putting trust in a stranger, and mistaking foes for friends.
—Arabic Proverb
No man not inspired can make a good speech without preparation
—Daniel Webster (1782–1852) American Statesman, Lawyer
As a vessel is known by the sound, whether it be cracked or not, so men are proved by their speeches whether they be wise or foolish.
—Demosthenes (384–322 BCE) Greek Statesman, Orator
Language is legislation, speech is its code. We do not see the power which is in speech because we forget that all speech is a classification, and that all classifications are oppressive.
—Roland Barthes (1915–80) French Writer, Critic, Teacher
The music that can deepest reach, And cure all ill, is cordial speech
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
The world does not speak. Only we do. The world can, once we have programmed ourselves with a language, cause us to hold beliefs. But it cannot propose a language for us to speak. Only other human beings can do that.
—Richard Rorty (1931–2007) American Philosopher
Let a man talk of what he can do, not of what he still cannot do. He who is merely clever at speaking, but not doing, will he detected by the wise man.
—Buddhist Teaching
A thousand useless words is not worth one by which the mind can be calmed after listening to it.
—Buddhist Teaching
Speech is human nature itself, with none of the artificiality of written language.
—Alfred North Whitehead (1861–1947) English Mathematician, Philosopher
Speeches that are measured by the hour will die with the hour.
—Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826) American Head of State, Lawyer
Free speech is the whole thing, the whole ball game. Free speech is life itself.
—Salman Rushdie (b.1947) Indian-born British Novelist
They that are loudest in their threats are the weakest in the execution of them. It is probable that he who is killed by lightning hears no noise; but the thunder-clap which follows, and which most alarms the ignorant, is the surest proof of their safety.
—Charles Caleb Colton (c.1780–1832) English Clergyman, Aphorist
Better than a thousand hollow words, is one word that brings peace.
—Buddhist Teaching
Listening to someone talk isn’t at all like listening to their words played over on a machine. What you hear when you have a face before you is never what you hear when you have before you a winding tape.
—Oriana Fallaci (1929–2006) Italian Journalist, Historian
People demand freedom of speech as a compensation for the freedom of thought which they seldom use.
—Soren Kierkegaard (1813–55) Danish Philosopher, Theologian
Speech happens to not be his language
—Anne Louise Germaine de Stael (1766–1817) French Woman of Letters
I’ve decided to discontinue my long talks. It’s because of my throat. Someone threatened to cut it.
—Unknown
Sheridan once said of some speech, in his acute, sarcastic way, that “it contained a great deal both of what was new and what was true; but that what was new was not true, and what was true was not new.”
—William Hazlitt (1778–1830) English Essayist
When you have spoken the word, it reigns over you. When it is unspoken you reign over it.
—Arabic Proverb
The public improves the speaker’s speech.
—Persian Proverb
Speech was given to the ordinary sort of men, whereby to communicate their mind; but to wise men, whereby to conceal it.
—Robert South (1634–1716) English Theologian, Preacher
Speech is external thought, and thought internal speech.
—Antoine de Rivarol (1753–1801) French Writer, Epigrammatist
A talk is like a woman’s dress. Long enough to cover the subject, but short enough to be interesting.
—Unknown
They will be hushed by a good deed who laugh at a wise speech.
—French Proverb
A tart temper never mellows with age; and a sharp tongue is the only edged tool that grows keener and sharper with constant use.
—Washington Irving (1783–1859) American Essayist, Biographer, Historian
I have often regretted my speech, never my silence.
—Publilius Syrus (fl.85–43 BCE) Syrian-born Roman Latin Writer
All speech, written or spoken, is a dead language, until it finds a willing and prepared hearer.
—Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–94) Scottish Novelist
What has influenced my life more than any other single thing has been my stammer. Had I not stammered I would probably… have gone to Cambridge as my brothers did, perhaps have become a don and every now and then published a dreary book about French literature.
—W. Somerset Maugham (1874–1965) British Novelist, Short-Story Writer, Playwright
Speech is oft repented, silence never
—Danish Proverb
The secret of a good sermon is
to have a good beginning and a good ending,
then having the two as close together as possible.
—George Burns (1896–1996) American Comedian
The superior man is modest in his speech but exceeds in his actions.
—Confucius (551–479 BCE) Chinese Philosopher
There is nothing in the world like a persuasive speech to fuddle the mental apparatus and upset the convictions and debauch the emotions of an audience not practiced in the tricks and delusions of oratory
—Mark Twain (1835–1910) American Humorist
The sober man’s secret is the drunkard’s speech.
—Russian Proverb
Good poetry seems too simple and natural a thing that when we meet it we wonder that all men are not always poets. Poetry is nothing but healthy speech.
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–62) American Philosopher
Speech is the messenger of the heart.
—The Talmud Sacred Text of the Jewish Faith