It’s not just small talk that’s dying; all forms of conversation are dwindling. Researchers at the University of Missouri-Kansas City and the University of Arizona found that from 2005 to 2019, the number of words spoken to another human fell by nearly 28 percent, likely worsening after the pandemic. In 2005, people averaged 16,632 words each day. By analyzing data from 22 studies involving over 2,000 participants who recorded their daily conversations, the researchers discovered that the word count dropped to about 11,900 per day by 2019. The Wall Street Journal highlights concerns regarding reduced human interaction’s psychological effects, such as loneliness or impaired conversational skills like not interrupting. While younger people were slightly more affected, with under-25s speaking 451 fewer words and over-25s losing 314 words daily, overall, daily word usage decreased by an average of 338 words per year. If this trend persisted, current daily word counts might be under 10,000. However, linguistics professor Valerie Fridland suggests small actions such as parents talking more to babies, using a landline, and reducing smartphone usage during the day could help reverse this decline.
Researchers Say We’re Talking Less Than Ever
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