to accost a person, to talk (to someone)
Example sentences
彼は誰の言うことも聞こうとしない。石像にでも話し掛けるほうがましだ。
He will not listen to any of us; you might as well talk to a figure of stone.
彼は私に話し掛けるような態度を示したが何も言わなかった。
He made as if to speak to me but said nothing.
彼に話し掛けるほうがよいだろう。
It would be better for you to speak to him.