Meaning and usage of the word reported speech in English

The term "reported speech" refers to the way information is communicated when someone retells what has been said by someone else. In linguistics, this concept is known as speech reporting or indirect speech. The term "reported speech" comes from the idea that when someone relays a message from another person, they are effectively "reporting" what was said. In contrast to the original, or "direct," speech, which contains the exact words spoken, reported speech changes certain aspects to reflect the fact that it is being reported rather than directly recounted. For example, in direct speech, a speaker might say, "I am going to the beach today." In reported speech, this same information might be presented using phrases such as "He said that he is going to the beach today" or "She mentioned that she will be going to the beach." Notice that in reported speech, changes occur to the verb tense, pronouns, and certain grammatical structures to reflect the fact that the speaker is reporting what someone else said. In summary, the term "reported speech" describes the linguistic concept of conveying information about prior conversations or events, as opposed to the original spoken or written words themselves.