Walk the talk

[Benjamin Zimmer]

On Sat, 20 Aug 2005 01:38:12 -0400, Benjamin Zimmer wrote:

>Coincidentally enough, someone on alt.usage.english just asked about
>another variant, "to walk one's talk". Factiva dates this one back to
>1987, not surprisingly in the context of recovery from alcoholism:
>
>-----
>Seattle Times, Jan 4, 1987, p. B1
>"They know me, they trust me, I'm the only friend they've got," Dutch
>said. "I'm no secret, they know I used to be one of them. They know I'm
>an ex-drunk. I walk my talk. That means I do what I talk about. I do
>what I can out there, not just talk about it. That's a phrase we have,
>'walk your talk.'"
>-----

Sorry, missed this slightly earlier one:

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Advantage, Apr 1, 1985, p. 33 (Factiva)
I learned a lesson a long time ago, that you've got to "walk your talk."
[quoting Earl Swensson, founder of an architectural firm]
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--Ben Zimmer