means The plural of speech — formal spoken addresses delivered to an audience, often at occasions like weddings, ceremonies, or political events.

from From Old English 'sprǣc' or 'spǣc,' meaning talk, speaking, or discourse, tied to the verb 'sprecan,' to speak. The 'r' once nested in the middle (you can still hear its ghost in German 'Sprache') but English wore it away over the centuries, leaving the smoother 'speech' we use today.