Dido  +  229032 Thu, 25 May 06 08:06 PM when you want to portray the idea that someone whose voice has been silenced tries to make himself heared, can you say that s/he manages to speak out. Should we say that s/he  manages to speak up? Dido Joined on Wed, Apr 20 2005 Spain Full Member 107

	Marius Hancu  +  229040 Thu, 25 May 06 08:33 PM That's a tough one. Curious how others will feel about it. Spears indicates them as synonims in figurative cases such as: -- If you think this is wrong, you must speak up and say so. -- I'm too shy to speak up. Also: --------- speak out   intransitive verb 1 : to speak loud enough to be heard <asked him to speak out or sit down> 2 : to speak boldly or unreservedly <stand up and speak out for the president's whole program -- Sinclair Weeks> <spoke out ... forthrightly against the carpetbag militia -- American Guide Series: Arkansas> 3 : to express an opinion freely and frankly <everyone of us has the obligation to speak out, to exchange ideas -- Wendell Willkie> transitive verb : to make known verbally : DECLARE <spoke out his mind and showed that he was not too well pleased -- Augustus Jessopp> speak up    Function: intransitive verb 1 : to speak strongly or vigorously -- usually used with for <speak up for truth and justice -- Clive Bell> 2 : to speak loudly and distinctly <was told to speak up as the people ... could not hear him -- B.L.K.Henderson> 3 : to express an opinion freely and fearlessly <we'll never find out how we feel about one another if we don't speak up -- D.B.Chidsey> http://unabridged.merriam-webster.com ---------- Marius Hancu Joined on Wed, Apr 26 2006 Veteran Member 11,673 Verbs

	Dido  +  229221 Fri, 26 May 06 09:14 AM I guess I could use both of them....but maybe, there are slight differences in meaning which I cannot grasp for I am not a native speaker. Let's wait if there are more opinions about it Dido

	Marius Hancu  +  229266 Fri, 26 May 06 11:38 AM try searches at Yahoo with: "speak out for" and separately for "speak up for" (quotation marks are important here) and you will find they show up in many similar contexts Marius Hancu Quotation Marks

	Clive  +  229366 Fri, 26 May 06 05:41 PM Hi, These can often be interchanged. However, here are a couple of comments on what I see as the subtleties involved.. speak out I feel the underlying idea here is that the words are coming out of you, going in to other people. When you speak out, it suggests that other people listen, and may be influenced by your words. speak up Here, I feel the underlying idea is that you are raising your voice, speaking loudly. In fact, if I can't hear you, on the phone, I may say 'Please speak up'. I wouldn't say 'Please speak out'. When you speak up, the idea is that your voice and opinion are loud and clear. However, other people may not choose to listen to you. Best wishes, Clive Clive Joined on Thu, Oct 28 2004 Canada Veteran Member 29,657 El tango argentino es un pensamiento triste que se puede bailar (The tango argentino is a sad thought which can be danced) Enrique Santos Discépolo

	Dido  +  229624 Sat, 27 May 06 03:52 PM Thank you guys! I have a clearer understanding of both verbs now. I think 'speak out' is the verb I need. Dido Verbs

	Dido  +  229636 Sat, 27 May 06 04:46 PM By the way, if I have the right to speak out of my experience can I say that I demand to be heard out of my life? Dido

	Clive  +  229678 Sat, 27 May 06 08:00 PM Hi, if I have the right to speak out of my experience can I say that I demand to be heard out of my life? No, it sounds very odd. . . . speak out of my experience also sounds very uncommon. Much more common would be . . . speak from my experience . Best wishes, Clive Clive