Speaking and Language: Defence of Poetry is a book of criticism by Paul Goodman that blames academic, structured approaches to linguistics for diminishing the role of creativity and spontaneity in speaking and human nature.

Random House first published the book's hardcover cloth edition in January 1972, though the official publication date had listed November 1971.

A paperback edition by Vintage Books followed in August 1972.

Speaking and Language released in the United Kingdom in 1973.

[1] This article about a book on language, linguistics or translation is a stub.