---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It’s easy to repeat; it’s hard to speak,"
description: "\"“It’s easy to repeat; it’s hard to speak,”\" — Samuel R. Delany"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e44/samuel-r-delany-2591_repeat_it-s-easy-to-repeat-it-s-hard-to-speak-1_1174315.png"
---

#  It’s easy to repeat; it’s hard to speak,

![“It’s easy to repeat; it’s hard to speak,” quote by Samuel R. Delany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e44/samuel-r-delany-2591_repeat_it-s-easy-to-repeat-it-s-hard-to-speak-1_1174315.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e44/samuel-r-delany-2591_repeat_it-s-easy-to-repeat-it-s-hard-to-speak-1_1174315.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e44/samuel-r-delany-2591_repeat_it-s-easy-to-repeat-it-s-hard-to-speak-1_1174315.png)

> ““It’s easy to repeat; it’s hard to speak,””

[Samuel R. Delany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-r-delany/)

## About This Quote

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

The quote highlights that repeating known material is effortless, while original speech demands creativity and courage.

**In simple terms:** Repeating is easy; speaking original thoughts is hard.

Key Takeaway

Cultivate authentic voice.

Themes

creativity communication authenticity

Mood

reflective challenging

Type

advice inspirational

When to use this quote

- public speaking
- writing workshops
- teaching
- leadership

Key Concepts

originality selfexpression

Questions to Reflect On

- How can you practice speaking your own ideas?
- What barriers stop you from expressing originality?

A Different Perspective

Original ideas may be dismissed or misunderstood.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Easy Repeat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/easy-repeat-3416717/) [Hard Speak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard-speak-1282510/) [Repeat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/repeat/) [Repeat Hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/repeat-hard-3416718/) [Speak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speak/)

## Related quotes

> [When you do a different city every night, it's easy to repeat things. There are songs you want to play for people and get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-trucks/when-you-do-a-different-city-every-night-it-s-easy-to-repeat-things/)

[Derek Trucks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-trucks/)

> [It's very, very hard to speak truth to power when the truth is unpleasant. I think it's one of the toughest things especially a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gergen/it-s-very-very-hard-to-speak-truth-to-power-when-the-truth-is/)

[David Gergen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gergen/)

> [Even Solon Gregg was finding it hard to speak to a woman who had just paid hard cash for tampons and on her face…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-nordan/even-solon-gregg-was-finding-it-hard-to-speak-to-a-woman-who-had-just/)

[Lewis Nordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-nordan/)

> [It's a little hard to speak when you're not supposed to move.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-anderson/it-s-a-little-hard-to-speak-when-you-re-not-supposed-to-move/)

[Laurie Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-anderson/)

> [At school, girls sometimes find it hard to speak up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicky-morgan/at-school-girls-sometimes-find-it-hard-to-speak-up/)

[Nicky Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicky-morgan/)

> [“It's to hard to speak unfeigned to a world that bathes in the art of deception. It's hard to seek the truth in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-suggs/it-s-to-hard-to-speak-unfeigned-to-a-world-that-bathes-in-the-art-of/)

[Lionel Suggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-suggs/)

> [“It's hard for me to speak, whether in English or Afrikaans. The reason I write is because I cannot speak. I feel blunt.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antjie-krog/it-s-hard-for-me-to-speak-whether-in-english-or-afrikaans-the-reason/)

[Antjie Krog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antjie-krog/)

> [“It was hard to speak, what with my heart trying to climb out of my mouth. For every gay man this question comes at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-lanyon/it-was-hard-to-speak-what-with-my-heart-trying-to-climb-out-of-my/)

[Josh Lanyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-lanyon/)

> [“Does he really expect me to vocalize a response while his fingers are touching my face? It's pretty hard to speak and hold your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/does-he-really-expect-me-to-vocalize-a-response-while-his-fingers-are/)

[Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/)

> [I definitely consider 'Poses' - the whole album in fact - to be kind of a miracle. Like the last breath of that moment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-wainwright/i-definitely-consider-poses-the-whole-album-in-fact-to-be-kind-of-a/)

[Rufus Wainwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-wainwright/)

> [Don't you wish you had a job like mine? All you have to do is think up a certain number of words! Plus, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/don-t-you-wish-you-had-a-job-like-mine-all-you-have-to-do-is-think-up/)

[Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/)

> [“Don't keep looking for "something" in the bag of "nothing". You will see the same thing again and again no matter how many times…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/don-t-keep-looking-for-something-in-the-bag-of-nothing-you-will-see/)

[Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/)

> [Those who forget the past are condemned to repeat it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/those-who-forget-the-past-are-condemned-to-repeat-it/)

[Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/)

> [I don't want to repeat myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-seymour-hoffman/i-don-t-want-to-repeat-myself/)

[Philip Seymour Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-seymour-hoffman/)

> [“Even though I know it's wrong, you turned my life into a country song and I keep playin' it, on repeat.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caisey-quinn/even-though-i-know-it-s-wrong-you-turned-my-life-into-a-country-song/)

[Caisey Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caisey-quinn/)

## More by Samuel R. Delany

> [A poet is wounded into speech, and he examines these wounds, meticulously, to discover how to heal them. The bad poet harangues at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-r-delany/a-poet-is-wounded-into-speech-and-he-examines-these-wounds/)

[Samuel R. Delany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-r-delany/)

> ['You spin in the sky, the world spins under you, and you step from land to land, while we . . .' She turned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-r-delany/you-spin-in-the-sky-the-world-spins-under-you-and-you-step-from-land/)

[Samuel R. Delany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-r-delany/)

> [What you are will make you what you will become.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-r-delany/what-you-are-will-make-you-what-you-will-become/)

[Samuel R. Delany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-r-delany/)

> [“People probably do hear watches go tic-tok. But I’m sure my childhood clock went tic-tic-tic-tic-tic-tic-tic…Why”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-r-delany/people-probably-do-hear-watches-go-tic-tok-but-i-m-sure-my-childhood/)

[Samuel R. Delany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-r-delany/)

> [“I wanted to get out, Vyme, to keep going and not be trapped, to be free… only I was cruel. I had the chance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-r-delany/i-wanted-to-get-out-vyme-to-keep-going-and-not-be-trapped-to-be-free/)

[Samuel R. Delany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-r-delany/)

> [A number of things in 'Dhalgren' are just meant to function as mysteries. They're mysteries when the book begins, and they're mysteries when the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-r-delany/a-number-of-things-in-dhalgren-are-just-meant-to-function-as/)

[Samuel R. Delany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-r-delany/)

> [The pulp hero, though he may be a renegade, is a guy who doesn't feel. Anything. Ever. And for the adolescent male - pummeled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-r-delany/the-pulp-hero-though-he-may-be-a-renegade-is-a-guy-who-doesn-t-feel/)

[Samuel R. Delany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-r-delany/)

> [“they were nice in a useless sort of way, which is, after all, the only way to be truly nice.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-r-delany/they-were-nice-in-a-useless-sort-of-way-which-is-after-all-the-only/)

[Samuel R. Delany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-r-delany/)

> [From 1968 on, I was pretty much the black, gay SF writer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-r-delany/from-1968-on-i-was-pretty-much-the-black-gay-sf-writer/)

[Samuel R. Delany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-r-delany/)

> [“Neurotics, proceed with delusions of grandeur. Napoleon Bonaparte, take the lead. Jesus Christ, bring up the rear. Simulate severe depression. Non-communicative with repressed hostility.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-r-delany/neurotics-proceed-with-delusions-of-grandeur-napoleon-bonaparte-take/)

[Samuel R. Delany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-r-delany/)

> [“Do you follow the wrestling? Most people think it's illegal, but you can watch it there. Ruby and Python are on display this evening.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-r-delany/do-you-follow-the-wrestling-most-people-think-it-s-illegal-but-you/)

[Samuel R. Delany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-r-delany/)

> [Spending practically every minute of your day on pure survival is an absolutely boring life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-r-delany/spending-practically-every-minute-of-your-day-on-pure-survival-is-an/)

[Samuel R. Delany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-r-delany/)

> [When what is is congruent to what is supposed, the reaction is functional and the mental processes competent. When what is and what is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-r-delany/when-what-is-is-congruent-to-what-is-supposed-the-reaction-is/)

[Samuel R. Delany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-r-delany/)

> [Everyone in a position of authority is hysterical, and everyone else is pretending to be asleep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-r-delany/everyone-in-a-position-of-authority-is-hysterical-and-everyone-else/)

[Samuel R. Delany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-r-delany/)

> [Since I spent eighteen years of my life as a child, and nine years of that life as a pretty sexually active gay child,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-r-delany/since-i-spent-eighteen-years-of-my-life-as-a-child-and-nine-years-of/)

[Samuel R. Delany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-r-delany/)

[Explore all 158 Samuel R. Delany quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-r-delany/)

## More Repeat quotes

> [“Even though I know it's wrong, you turned my life into a country song and I keep playin' it, on repeat.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caisey-quinn/even-though-i-know-it-s-wrong-you-turned-my-life-into-a-country-song/)

[Caisey Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caisey-quinn/)

> [I don't want to repeat myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-seymour-hoffman/i-don-t-want-to-repeat-myself/)

[Philip Seymour Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-seymour-hoffman/)

> [Those who forget the past are condemned to repeat it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/those-who-forget-the-past-are-condemned-to-repeat-it/)

[Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/)

> [“Don't keep looking for "something" in the bag of "nothing". You will see the same thing again and again no matter how many times…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/don-t-keep-looking-for-something-in-the-bag-of-nothing-you-will-see/)

[Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/)

> [Don't you wish you had a job like mine? All you have to do is think up a certain number of words! Plus, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/don-t-you-wish-you-had-a-job-like-mine-all-you-have-to-do-is-think-up/)

[Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/)

> [I definitely consider 'Poses' - the whole album in fact - to be kind of a miracle. Like the last breath of that moment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-wainwright/i-definitely-consider-poses-the-whole-album-in-fact-to-be-kind-of-a/)

[Rufus Wainwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-wainwright/)

> [If they can't repeat it, they didn't get it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-horn/if-they-can-t-repeat-it-they-didn-t-get-it/)

[Sam Horn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-horn/)

> [“Cycling through love is like wash, rinse, repeat.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-harian/cycling-through-love-is-like-wash-rinse-repeat/)

[Sarah Harian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-harian/)

> [When people say 'love to hate', they actually mean 'love to be appalled by' - if they truly hated them, they'd never repeat a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-morris/when-people-say-love-to-hate-they-actually-mean-love-to-be-appalled/)

[Chris Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-morris/)

> [“Repeation violates the law.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deyth-banger/repeation-violates-the-law/)

[Deyth Banger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deyth-banger/)

> [“Ah, selfish. There’s that word again.” Sherry smirked. “It’s been hurled at me many a time, because being a mother and wife is all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-lochen/ah-selfish-there-s-that-word-again-sherry-smirked-it-s-been-hurled-at/)

[Andrea Lochen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-lochen/)

> [I will pick a raft of cartoons. And then later, it'll come time to run this cartoon. And I'll look at it, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mankoff/i-will-pick-a-raft-of-cartoons-and-then-later-it-ll-come-time-to-run/)

[Robert Mankoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mankoff/)

> [I think very often producers are really trying to repeat things. When they hear something in the new songs that they recognize as being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-eno/i-think-very-often-producers-are-really-trying-to-repeat-things-when/)

[Brian Eno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-eno/)

> [My mother taught me this trick: if you repeat something over and over again it loses its meaning, for example homework homework homework homework…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/my-mother-taught-me-this-trick-if-you-repeat-something-over-and-over/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Learn from history or you're doomed to repeat it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-ventura/learn-from-history-or-you-re-doomed-to-repeat-it/)

[Jesse Ventura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-ventura/)

[Browse all 555 Repeat quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/repeat/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“It’s easy to repeat; it’s hard to speak,”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Samuel R. Delany"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-r-delany/it-s-easy-to-repeat-it-s-hard-to-speak/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Repeat"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-r-delany/it-s-easy-to-repeat-it-s-hard-to-speak/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e44/samuel-r-delany-2591_repeat_it-s-easy-to-repeat-it-s-hard-to-speak-1_1174315.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e44/samuel-r-delany-2591_repeat_it-s-easy-to-repeat-it-s-hard-to-speak-1_1174315.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e44/samuel-r-delany-2591_repeat_it-s-easy-to-repeat-it-s-hard-to-speak-1_1174315.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“It’s easy to repeat; it’s hard to speak,” — Samuel R. Delany",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Samuel R. Delany",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-r-delany/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“It’s easy to repeat; it’s hard...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-r-delany/it-s-easy-to-repeat-it-s-hard-to-speak/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-r-delany/it-s-easy-to-repeat-it-s-hard-to-speak/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```