speakers
speakers — noun
1. a person who delivers a formal talk to an audience at an occasion such as a conf
a person who delivers a formal talk to an audience at an occasion such as a conference, ceremony, or political rally
Dr. Amara Okafor was the opening speaker at the climate conference, and her talk inspired many young researchers in the audience.
collocation: opening speaker / keynote speaker / guest speaker
After the meal, Sofia Rossi stood up to thank the organisers on behalf of all the speakers at the event.
The school invited Chen Wei, a local business owner, to be the main speaker at graduation this year.
Javier Morales is a confident public speaker who can hold the attention of any crowd for over an hour.
文法句型
speaker + at/for + [event/organisation]
用法筆記
Commonly used with modifiers like 'keynote', 'guest', 'featured', or 'main' before 'speaker' to indicate the speaker's role at an event.
常見錯誤
2. a person who uses a particular language to communicate, either as their first la
a person who uses a particular language to communicate, either as their first language or as a learned skill
Mei-Ling Huang grew up in Taipei and is a fluent Mandarin speaker who also learned English at school.
pattern: fluent [language] speaker
The app connects learners with native speakers of the language they want to practise.
collocation: native speaker
Pablo Reyes moved to Tokyo last year, and now he is one of the best Spanish speakers in his company's overseas office.
Fatima Al-Rashid works as a translator because she is a native speaker of Arabic and a near-native speaker of French.
There are over a billion English speakers around the world, making it one of the most widely used languages.
- native speaker
specifically someone who learned the language from birth, not as a second language
- polyglot
someone who speaks several languages; a more advanced term
- non-speaker
someone who does not speak a particular language at all
- learner
someone who is still studying a language rather than speaking it fluently
文法句型
[language] + speaker
speaker + of + [language]
用法筆記
When describing proficiency, 'fluent speaker' and 'native speaker' are the most common collocations. 'Native speaker' specifically means someone who learned the language from birth.
常見錯誤
3. a device that turns electrical signals into sound, found in computers, phones, r
a device that turns electrical signals into sound, found in computers, phones, radios, and music systems, either built into the device or as a separate unit
Kim Soo-jin plugged the new speakers into her laptop so everyone in the room could hear the song clearly.
collocation: plug in speakers / connect speakers
The speakers on this tablet are surprisingly loud for such a small device.
Dimitri Petrov bought a pair of wireless speakers for the kitchen so he could listen to news while cooking.
Anita Sharma adjusted the volume on the car speakers when her favourite song came on the radio.
Lin Wei set up two large speakers on either side of the stage so the music could reach the back of the hall.
- loudspeaker
more formal or technical; often used for larger, standalone units in halls or outdoor spaces
- sound system
a complete setup including speakers, amplifier, and other components
- headphones
personal listening devices worn on the ears; only the wearer can hear the sound
- earphones
small personal listening devices placed inside the ear
- microphone
a device that captures sound rather than producing it
文法句型
[noun] + speakers
speakers + [preposition] + [location]
用法筆記
This sense is almost always used in the plural form ('speakers') because devices typically come as a pair or set. The singular 'speaker' is used when referring to one unit.
常見錯誤
4. a setting on a telephone or video-call device that uses the built-in microphone
a setting on a telephone or video-call device that uses the built-in microphone and loudspeaker so that more than one person in the room can hear and join the conversation without holding the device to the ear
Nadia Khalil put the call on speaker so her colleagues could hear the client's instructions at the same time.
pattern: put [call/phone] on speaker
Tomás Guerrero asked his mother to switch to speaker mode because he wanted to show the video to the whole family.
When the map directions became confusing, Li Na turned on the speaker so the driver could hear the instructions too.
Grace Osei prefers using the speaker when she talks to her grandparents because they both like to join the conversation from across the room.
- speakerphone
refers to the physical feature or device; more formal than 'on speaker'
- hands-free
broader term that includes speaker mode for calls as well as voice assistants and car kits
- handset mode
the normal way of using a phone by holding it against the ear
- private mode
when only the person holding the phone can hear the caller
文法句型
on speaker
put [someone] on speaker
speaker mode
用法筆記
Commonly used in the phrase 'on speaker' without an article. In informal conversation, people say 'put me on speaker' or 'are you on speaker?' to check if others can hear the call.
常見錯誤
5. the elected member of a parliament or similar law-making assembly who controls d
the elected member of a parliament or similar law-making assembly who controls debates, ensures that rules are followed, and represents the assembly in official matters
The Speaker of the House called for order when the two representatives began arguing across the chamber.
collocation: Speaker of the House / Speaker of Parliament
Speaker Miguel Torres announced that the vote on the new education bill would take place the following morning.
capitalisation pattern: 'Speaker' + surname as a formal title
Representative Elena Vasquez asked the Speaker for permission to speak about the proposed changes to the tax law.
It is the Speaker's job to decide which members may speak and to make sure debates finish on time.
- presiding officer
more general term for any person who chairs a formal meeting or assembly
- chairperson
used for committees and organisations; less formal and less politically specific than 'Speaker'
- President of the Senate
the equivalent role in some upper houses of parliament
- member of parliament
an ordinary voting member who does not have the authority to control debates
- backbencher
a regular member who sits behind the front rows and has no leadership role in the chamber
文法句型
the Speaker + of + [body]
Speaker + [surname]
用法筆記
When used as an official title, 'Speaker' is usually capitalised. The exact name varies by country — 'Speaker of the House' in the US, 'Speaker of the Legislative Assembly' in some other nations, and simply 'Mr/Madam Speaker' as a form of address.