adj. or adv. ?

I've got a question concerning the use of adjectives and adverbs. As far as I know the verb "speak" is followed by an adverb (speak slowly, loudly,...), but "speak loud" sounds also correct to me (and I think I've heard it many times).
Is it true that in AE adjectives are more and more often used instead of adverbs? What about BE - can I say "speak loud" in BE?
And is it possible/correct to say "speak louder" or should I say "speak more loudly"?

"Speak loud" sounds distinctly non-native to my American ears. It would be "Speak louder" for me. "Speak more loudly" sounds ok, but I prefer "Speak louder".

a

AFAIK "loud" instead of loudly is acceptable after such verbs as speak, talk and laugh. Perhaps there are some regional differences, though.
The Beatles, Fool on the Hill:
...a man of a thousand voices speaking perfectly loud...

Tiffany

>>"Speak loud" sounds distinctly non-native to my American ears. It would be "Speak louder" for me. "Speak more loudly" sounds ok, but I prefer "Speak louder". <<

I don't think he just meant when it is used as a command. In the UK you quite often hear things like 'He speaks really loud' although thi would not be considered good English. Is it not the same in the States?

<<<And is it possible/correct to say "speak louder" or should I say "speak more loudly"? >>>

Could you please speak louder?

Could you speak more loudly?

I think in practice: People would say - "Could you please speak up"

The line from the song:

<<<The Beatles, Fool on the Hill:
...a man of a thousand voices speaking perfectly loud... >>>

It is interesting, because it illustrates the difference between spoken English and written English.

I have not got the song in front of me, but it reminds me of a man I passed in the street today who was shouting out, at intervals, something that sounded like: "Oatmeal". I can assure you, I did not want to ask him what he was shouting. It was quite close to the Mental Hospital (not joking).

Similarly, with the Fool on the Hill; is he hearing voices inside his head, perfectly loud?

I think this is a song about mental illness, along the lines of "Who is the fool now".

The Fool On The Hill Lyrics
Artist(Band):The Beatles

Day after day,
Alone on the hill,
The man with the foolish grin is keeping perfectly still,
But nobody wants to know him,
They can see that he's just a fool,
And he never gives an answer,
But the fool on the hill
Sees the sun going down,
And the eyes in his head,
See the world spinning 'round.

Well on his way head in a cloud,
The man of a thousand voices is talking perfectly loud
But nobody ever hears him,
Or the sound he appears to make,
And he never seems to notice,
But the fool on the hill
Sees the sun going down,
And the eyes in his head,
See the world spinning 'round.

And nobody seems to like him
They can tell what he wants to do.
And he never shows his feelings,
But the fool on the hill
Sees the sun going down,
And the eyes in his head,
See the world spinning 'round.

woah ooh,
Round and round and round.

He never listens to them,
He knows that they're the fool
They don't like him,
The fool on the hill
Sees the sun going down,
And the eyes in his head,
See the world spinning 'round.