reported speech

noun

1. another term for indirect speech

Example Sentences

A widely reported speech by Mr. Brampton — soon to become prime minister — “poured contempt upon the fear of the plague, which he characterized throughout as the ‘Russian epidemic,’ and ended with the advice to keep a cool head, to preserve the British spirit of sturdy resistance instead of shutting our doors and bringing the country to commercial ruin.

From Washington Post

The acronym may still be used in reported speech and official documents but will usually be accompanied by an explanation i.e. specific information on a particular ethnic group not being available.

From BBC

In general use dialogue rather than reported speech.

From The Guardian

The second use is “with a verb, introducing reported speech”, and the earliest example is from Time magazine in 1970: “Afterward, a girl came up to me and said, ‘You kinda look interested in this; did you know there are civil rights for women?’

From The Guardian

We shouldn’t be surprised, given the song’s interest in reported speech and what “they say,” to find that this phrase is a citation.

From Salon