Sure, and I'll use some deliberately provocative examples; no insult to you or anyone intended.
If I say to you, "You are a $racialslur" that's speech to (a person). If I say "All $group are $racialslur" that's speech about.
If I say to a group of people, "People who provide abortions are murderers and must be stopped by violence if necessary" that's speech about. If i say to a group of people, "People who provide abortions are murderers and you must go stop them," that's speech to.
If I say, "Isn't it stupid how girls at school are always overdressing in whatever's trending on Pinterest this week? We should mock them for that." it's speech about. If I say, "Jenny is such a wimp; she's always changing her style to whatever she thinks is fashionable. Let's make fun of her and tease her about it." that's speech to.
In essence, speech to has a particularity that speech about does not.
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2014-04-11 08:29 pm (UTC)If I say to you, "You are a $racialslur" that's speech to (a person). If I say "All $group are $racialslur" that's speech about.
If I say to a group of people, "People who provide abortions are murderers and must be stopped by violence if necessary" that's speech about. If i say to a group of people, "People who provide abortions are murderers and you must go stop them," that's speech to.
If I say, "Isn't it stupid how girls at school are always overdressing in whatever's trending on Pinterest this week? We should mock them for that." it's speech about. If I say, "Jenny is such a wimp; she's always changing her style to whatever she thinks is fashionable. Let's make fun of her and tease her about it." that's speech to.
In essence, speech to has a particularity that speech about does not.