This particular spot is called appropriately enough: Speakers' Corner. 'Speak' is therefore the starting point suggesting putting words in some coherent order and then saying them out loud. We say: I understand she speaks several foreign languages. Have you noticed that he speaks with an Australian accent? People were booing while the minister was speaking at the meeting. There is a sense of formality, if you like, about 'speak' It's the starting point of making intelligible noises that other people can understand.
'Talk' on the other hand is the informal one. This suggests an open two way method of communication. Let's contrast these two one with another: I want to speak to you and I want to talk to you. When someone addresses you with the former, it's probably something formal and serious -- The boss wants to say something about your work and it's probably not favourable. On the other hand the latter is much friendlier because the indication is that someone wants to have a conversation with you.
Similarly you would go to listen to a speech delivered in a hall at a seminar in a college but you would go to the local village hall to listen to a talk (with possibly picture slides) given by a local birdwatcher about some of the birds that you can see in the area. When someone doesn't like the way you say things either in the type of language or the topics, do they say: I wish you wouldn't speak like that in front of your old aunt or I wish you wouldn't talk like that in front of your old aunt? I have to tell you in all honesty, and I bet auntie would agree with me, you can say either. Talk to you soon.
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written by ,
Alan Townend
from http://www.english-test.net
