English

Verb

speak someone's language

1. (idiomatic) To talk about concerns, feelings, ideas, etc. which someone understands well and can relate to intimately.
   • 1915, Basil King, The Side Of The Angels, ch. 15:

     "When I'm with you I seem to get back to my natural conditions—the conditions in which I can live and work." . . . He turned to her eagerly. "You're the only one, Lois, who knows what I mean—who can speak my language."

   • 1987 Jan. 22, Bernard Weinraub, "Dole tests Iowa political waters, preparing '88 state organization," New York Times (retrieved 13 May 2014):

     Mr. Dole, a Republican from neighboring Kansas who made more than a dozen trips to Iowa last year is, according to Calvin O. Hultman, Republican leader of the State Senate, "one of us - he speaks our language."

   • 2004 Oct. 25, Ciar Byrne, "Media: Sex and frocks and readers' real lives," The Independent (UK) (retrieved 13 May 2014):

     "The crucial thing is for young women to look at the magazine and think, ‘Cosmo is speaking my language’."

   • 2010 Sept. 6, Kayla Webley, "The Skimmer" (Book Review: The Pain Chronicles by Melanie Thernstrom), Time (retrieved 13 May 2014):

     If you are one of the more than 70 million Americans who suffer from chronic hurt, The Pain Chronicles could very well be the first time you hear from someone who speaks your language.