Study: Average daily speech 12,792 words, 30% lower since 2005
Technology
A new study says we're talking a lot less than we used to: about 30% fewer words each day compared to 2005.
Researchers looked at data from about 2,200 people aged 10 to 94 across the US Mexico, Australia, and Europe.
On average, people now speak 12,792 words daily.
Under 25s lose 451 words yearly
Young adults under 25 saw the biggest drop in spoken words, losing about 451 words per year, which is a much steeper decline than older age groups.
The study points to things like apps and online deliveries replacing face-to-face chats, plus the pandemic making casual conversations rarer.
As co-author Valeria Pfeifer puts it: "We may experience more loneliness and disconnectedness."