---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: They ended every speech with the word…"
description: "\"They ended every speech with the word hiro, which means: like I said. Thus each man took responsibility for intruding into the inarticulate murmur of t..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9f/leonard-cohen-448_communication_they-ended-every-speech-with-the-word-hi_1115192.jpg"
---

#  They ended every speech with the word hiro, which means…

![“They ended every speech with the word hiro, which means: like I said. Thus each man took responsibility for intruding into the inarticulate murmur of the spheres. To hiro they added the word koue, a cry of joy or distress, according to whether it was sung or howled. Thus they essayed to piece the…” quote by Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9f/leonard-cohen-448_communication_they-ended-every-speech-with-the-word-hi_1115192.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9f/leonard-cohen-448_communication_they-ended-every-speech-with-the-word-hi_1115192.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9f/leonard-cohen-448_communication_they-ended-every-speech-with-the-word-hi_1115192.jpg)

> “They ended every speech with the word hiro, which means: like I said. Thus each man took responsibility for intruding into the inarticulate murmur of the spheres. To hiro they added the word koue, a cry of joy or distress, according to whether it was sung or howled. Thus they essayed to piece the mysterious curtain which hangs between all talking men: at the end of every utterance a man stepped back, so to speak, and attempted to interpret his words to the listener, attempted to subvert the beguiling intellect with the noise of true emotion.”

[Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The ending phrase “hiro” signifies personal accountability, while “koue” adds emotional nuance, highlighting the tension between rational interpretation and raw feeling in communication.

**In simple terms:** Words end with responsibility and emotion, showing the struggle to convey true feeling.

Key Takeaway

Recognize both logic and emotion when communicating.

Themes

responsibility communication emotion

Mood

thoughtful analytical

Type

literary philosophical

When to use this quote

- public speaking
- interpersonal dialogue
- writing
- conflict resolution

Key Concepts

linguistics philosophy psychology

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you balance clarity and emotion in speech?
- What role does personal responsibility play in effective communication?

A Different Perspective

Pure rational analysis may miss the depth of lived emotional experience.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [Cry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cry/) [Curtains](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/curtains/) [Distress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/distress/) [Emotion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotion/) [End Utterance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/end-utterance-2990669/) [Ended Speech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ended-speech-2990668/) [Ends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ends/) [Hiro Means](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hiro-means-2990672/) [Inarticulate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inarticulate/) [Intellect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intellect/) [Joy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joy/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Mean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mean/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Mysterious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mysterious/) [Noise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/noise/) [Pieces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pieces/) [Responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsibility/) [Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said/) [Speak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speak/) [Speech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speech/) [Spheres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spheres/) [Talking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talking/) [Utterance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/utterance/) [Word Hiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/word-hiro-2990670/) [Word Koue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/word-koue-2990671/)

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