Talk the Talk and Walk the Walk
A talker talks, often too much. English has several idioms contrasting people who speak well with people who act.
A talker is someone who talks, and the word usually carries a hint that they do more of it than is required. English is well supplied with ways of making the point: *all talk and no action*, *talk is cheap*, *talk a good game*, and the neat pairing *talk the talk and walk the walk*, which asks whether the speaking is matched by doing.
- Someone who talks. *A great talker.*
- A talkative person. *He's a talker, that one.*
- Talk — the verb and noun. *A short talk.*
- Talk the talk — speak convincingly. *He can talk the talk.*
- Talking point — a subject for discussion. *The main talking point.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Verb | talk | Talk quietly. |
| Past | talked | We talked late. |
| Agent | talker | A fast talker. |
| Adjective | talkative | A talkative child. |
| Noun | talk | A public talk. |
- He is a fast talker and a slow payer.The suspicious sense.
- She gave a talk on coastal erosion.The noun.
- Talk is cheap.Proverb.
Talk phrasal verbs
- Talk over — discuss thoroughly
- Talk down to — speak condescendingly
- Talk out of — persuade against
- Talk into — persuade towards
- Talk back — answer rudely, usually to an authority figure
Middle English *talken*, related to *tale* and *tell*, plus the agent ending -er. The frequentative form suggests repeated telling.
Where does walk the walk come from?
American English of the twentieth century, contrasting fluent speech with matching action. The full form is talk the talk and walk the walk.
Are talk and tale related?
Yes. Both come from the same Germanic root about telling and counting.