--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Today we speak, but first we spoke…" description: "\"Today we speak, but first we spoke; faucets leak, but never loke. Today we write, but first we wrote; we bite our tongues, but never bote.\" — Richard L..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf2/richard-lederer-38330_bites_today-we-speak-but-first-we-spoke-faucet_2727038.png" --- # Today we speak, but first we spoke; faucets leak, but… ![“Today we speak, but first we spoke; faucets leak, but never loke. Today we write, but first we wrote; we bite our tongues, but never bote.” quote by Richard Lederer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf2/richard-lederer-38330_bites_today-we-speak-but-first-we-spoke-faucet_2727038.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf2/richard-lederer-38330_bites_today-we-speak-but-first-we-spoke-faucet_2727038.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf2/richard-lederer-38330_bites_today-we-speak-but-first-we-spoke-faucet_2727038.png) > “Today we speak, but first we spoke; faucets leak, but never loke. Today we write, but first we wrote; we bite our tongues, but never bote.” [Richard Lederer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-lederer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Language evolves through repetition and error, showing how meaning shifts over time. **In simple terms:** Words change with use. Key Takeaway Observe patterns in communication. Themes language evolution humor communication Mood playful thoughtful Type literary educational When to use this quote - writing workshops - teaching language - creative brainstorming Key Concepts linguistics semantic drift Questions to Reflect On - What habits cause miscommunication? - How can playful language aid learning? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on wordplay can obscure clarity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today/) [Tongues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tongues/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [Don't be afraid as long as you bite your tongues the devil loves it tongue\*](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-lard/don-t-be-afraid-as-long-as-you-bite-your-tongues-the-devil-loves-it/) Bill Lard > [“Don’t you two dare say a thing,” she pointed a finger at us, straightening her skirt with the other hand. “Just bite your tongues.”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/micalea-smeltzer/don-t-you-two-dare-say-a-thing-she-pointed-a-finger-at-us/) [Micalea Smeltzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/micalea-smeltzer/) > [“The most powerful and courageous heroes I know are those who bite their tongues when justification, validation, temptation, or vengeance would have them strike…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/the-most-powerful-and-courageous-heroes-i-know-are-those-who-bite/) [Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) > [Speak God's words over your circumstances today. Speak His words in faith and watch Him move!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-copeland/speak-god-s-words-over-your-circumstances-today-speak-his-words-in/) [Kenneth Copeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-copeland/) > [Whatever happens, the flame of the French resistance must not be extinguished and will not be extinguished. Tomorrow, as today, I will speak on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-gaulle/whatever-happens-the-flame-of-the-french-resistance-must-not-be/) [Charles de Gaulle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-gaulle/) > [“Father, help me today speak only words of excellence. Help me be a good listener and think before I speak. I want my words…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/father-help-me-today-speak-only-words-of-excellence-help-me-be-a-good/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) > [Reach out to someone today that you may not speak to often, but still enjoy. You'll both appreciate it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/reach-out-to-someone-today-that-you-may-not-speak-to-often-but-still/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Today we all speak, if not the same tongue, the same universal language. There is no one center, and time has lost its former…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavio-paz/today-we-all-speak-if-not-the-same-tongue-the-same-universal-language/) [Octavio Paz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavio-paz/) > [If you decided to reteach yourself your own loveliness today, what would you do? How would you speak to yourself? Can you allow yourself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geneen-roth/if-you-decided-to-reteach-yourself-your-own-loveliness-today-what/) [Geneen Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geneen-roth/) > [Someone once said you could tell the people who were in the most successful relationships by the bite marks on their tongues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-seranella/someone-once-said-you-could-tell-the-people-who-were-in-the-most/) Barbara Seranella > [One little leak becomes a lake, Says the tiny voice in my earpiece](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/one-little-leak-becomes-a-lake-says-the-tiny-voice-in-my-earpiece/) [Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/) > [You can't control it once you turn it into the label, so there's the expectation that it'll leak a week before the album comes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lupe-fiasco/you-can-t-control-it-once-you-turn-it-into-the-label-so-there-s-the/) [Lupe Fiasco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lupe-fiasco/) > [A government is the only vessel that leaks from the top.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-reston/a-government-is-the-only-vessel-that-leaks-from-the-top/) [James Reston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-reston/) > [Little leaks sink the ship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/little-leaks-sink-the-ship/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Behind every word flows energy. If you use your words to gossip or babble about what you are going to do before you do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-choquette/behind-every-word-flows-energy-if-you-use-your-words-to-gossip-or/) [Sonia Choquette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-choquette/) ## More by Richard Lederer > [I have a rat inside my skull that runs on a treadmill - pitta-patta pitta-patta pitta-patta. I enjoy the company of other people who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-lederer/i-have-a-rat-inside-my-skull-that-runs-on-a-treadmill-pitta-patta/) [Richard Lederer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-lederer/) > [“Let’s face it - English is a crazy language. There is no egg in eggplant nor ham in hamburger; neither apple nor pine in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-lederer/let-s-face-it-english-is-a-crazy-language-there-is-no-egg-in-eggplant/) [Richard Lederer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-lederer/) > [We humans are not born alone; joining and being active in a club whose members share your passion for ideas and get your jokes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-lederer/we-humans-are-not-born-alone-joining-and-being-active-in-a-club-whose/) [Richard Lederer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-lederer/) > [The most colossal display of wise, inspiring, and humorous metaphors ever exhibited in one place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-lederer/the-most-colossal-display-of-wise-inspiring-and-humorous-metaphors/) [Richard Lederer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-lederer/) > [There once was a time when all people believed in God and the church ruled. This time was called the Dark Ages.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-lederer/there-once-was-a-time-when-all-people-believed-in-god-and-the-church/) [Richard Lederer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-lederer/) > [English language is the most universal language in history, way more than the Latin of Julius Caesar. It's the most punderful language because its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-lederer/english-language-is-the-most-universal-language-in-history-way-more/) [Richard Lederer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-lederer/) > [Quotations are powerful tools. Michel de Montaigne, the father of all essayists, observed, 'I quote others only to better express myself.' Intrepid quotations detective…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-lederer/quotations-are-powerful-tools-michel-de-montaigne-the-father-of-all/) [Richard Lederer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-lederer/) > [When I travel on an airplane, I like to be served TWA milk and TWA coffee. But I love to be served TWA tea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-lederer/when-i-travel-on-an-airplane-i-like-to-be-served-twa-milk-and-twa/) [Richard Lederer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-lederer/) > [It is indeed acceptable practice to sometimes split an infinitive. If infinitive-splitting makes available just the shade of meaning you desire or if avoiding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-lederer/it-is-indeed-acceptable-practice-to-sometimes-split-an-infinitive-if/) [Richard Lederer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-lederer/) > [In A Midnight Carol Patricia Davis illuminates the dark and brilliant humanity of Charles Dickens -- the man who lived a rags-to-riches life more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-lederer/in-a-midnight-carol-patricia-davis-illuminates-the-dark-and-brilliant/) [Richard Lederer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-lederer/) > [I think the humor of double puns is incredible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-lederer/i-think-the-humor-of-double-puns-is-incredible/) [Richard Lederer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-lederer/) [Explore all 12 Richard Lederer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-lederer/) ## More Bites quotes > [I do not want to live at the cost of the life even of a snake. I should let him bite me to death…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-do-not-want-to-live-at-the-cost-of-the-life-even-of-a-snake-i/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Much like teaching art to young art students age 10 to 15 or so on, you have to break it down into bite-sized pieces,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/much-like-teaching-art-to-young-art-students-age-10-to-15-or-so-on/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [In every country dogges bite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/in-every-country-dogges-bite/) [George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/) > [I don't bite you know ... unless it's called for,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-hepburn/i-don-t-bite-you-know-unless-it-s-called-for/) [Audrey Hepburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-hepburn/) > [While you're playing cards with a regular guy or having a bite to eat with him, he seems a peaceable, good-humoured and not entirely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-chekhov/while-you-re-playing-cards-with-a-regular-guy-or-having-a-bite-to-eat/) [Anton Chekhov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-chekhov/) > [The way to get through anything mentally painful is to take it a little at a time. The mind can't handle dealing with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-de-sena/the-way-to-get-through-anything-mentally-painful-is-to-take-it-a/) [Joe De Sena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-de-sena/) > [Experience is the only real teacher and if you keep a diary you get three bites at educating yourself - when it happens, when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-benn/experience-is-the-only-real-teacher-and-if-you-keep-a-diary-you-get/) [Tony Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-benn/) > [“If mankind's destined to bite the bullet, let's bite it and be damned.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darren-shan/if-mankind-s-destined-to-bite-the-bullet-let-s-bite-it-and-be-damned/) [Darren Shan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darren-shan/) > [Our legal system, including the police, is anti-Dalit and anti-poor. The death penalty laws' wrathful majesty, in blood-shot equality, deals the fatal blow on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-r-krishna-iyer/our-legal-system-including-the-police-is-anti-dalit-and-anti-poor-the/) V. R. Krishna Iyer > [I have known a very good, fisher angle diligently four or six hours for a river carp, and not have a bite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/izaak-walton/i-have-known-a-very-good-fisher-angle-diligently-four-or-six-hours/) [Izaak Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/izaak-walton/) > [If someone sits and stares at you while you eat, you won't even eat the way you normally do, because it'll make you so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-chappelle/if-someone-sits-and-stares-at-you-while-you-eat-you-won-t-even-eat/) [Dave Chappelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-chappelle/) > [Zen is not interested in high-flown statements; it wants its pupil to bite his apple and not discuss it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-bancroft/zen-is-not-interested-in-high-flown-statements-it-wants-its-pupil-to/) [Anne Bancroft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-bancroft/) > [“If you step in a nest of snakes, does it matter who bites you first?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/if-you-step-in-a-nest-of-snakes-does-it-matter-who-bites-you-first/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [When you are dealing with a mass movement, as opposed to a quote-unquote "elite," you are talking to people who don't have time to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-hamilton/when-you-are-dealing-with-a-mass-movement-as-opposed-to-a-quote/) [Rebecca Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-hamilton/) > [Every bite you eat stays in mouth for two minutes, for two hours in stomach and for two month on hips.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-dior/every-bite-you-eat-stays-in-mouth-for-two-minutes-for-two-hours-in/) [Christian Dior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-dior/) Browse all 556 Bites quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Today we speak, but first we spoke; faucets leak, but never loke. 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