Talk:speak of

RFV discussion: January–May 2017
"To be worthy or important enough to mention." I just don't get this; how would it work in a sentence? Equinox ◑ 01:07, 19 January 2017 (UTC)
 * I think it's probably referring to this sort of usage. Andrew Sheedy (talk) 01:40, 19 January 2017 (UTC)


 * Oh, right, like "there were some actors there, but no celebrities to speak of". My feeling is that we should extend for this, as the to-particle is always present. Equinox ◑ 01:44, 19 January 2017 (UTC)


 * I agree. —Granger (talk · contribs) 01:55, 19 January 2017 (UTC)
 * Yeah, I think that makes the most sense. Andrew Sheedy (talk) 02:33, 19 January 2017 (UTC)
 * Once modified as proposed, I would argue that "widespread use" applies. We just need some usage examples and usage notes showing and explaining that it is always used with a negative (not much t.s.o., nothing t.s.o.) or something like little, small, few. (What is the word for those?) BTW, other dictionaries, including MWOnline, have both and . DCDuring TALK  13:53, 19 January 2017 (UTC)
 * It is used (I would guess much less frequently) with a positive e.g. "Even so, that is something to speak of, sheepherder." - Robert Jordan. It feels a bit more SOP when there is a positive, for no good reason I can come up with.  In the example sentence it could easily read "Even so, that is something worth mentioning, sheepherder." - TheDaveRoss 16:51, 19 January 2017 (UTC)
 * Also "like to speak of" when introducing a topic; definitely SOP but includes the same sense of worthy of discussion. - Amgine/t&middot;e 16:59, 19 January 2017 (UTC)
 * It does feel somewhat more SOP in the positive, but I would still argue that it's idiomatic. Andrew Sheedy (talk) 04:32, 23 January 2017 (UTC)

RFV-resolved. Deleted under speak of in favor of to speak of. Kiwima (talk) 02:30, 22 May 2017 (UTC)