Ololade Adeyanju/
People are speaking significantly less than they did two decades ago, with new research suggesting that the average person now uses far fewer words in daily conversation than in the mid-2000s.
A study by researchers in the United States has found that between 2005 and 2019, the number of words spoken by the average person fell by around 28 percent.
The analysis suggests that individuals were speaking roughly 16,600 words per day in 2005, compared with fewer than 12,000 words by 2019.
Matthias Mehl, a professor of social psychology at the University of Arizona, who co-authored the study with Valeria Pfeifer of the University of Missouri-Kansas City, said the decline was both steady and significant.
“We estimated the difference at about 330 fewer words spoken per day for each year during that time period,” he said. “That adds up to roughly 120,000 fewer words spoken during the course of a year. It’s a substantial loss.”
The findings were based on audio recordings collected from more than 2,000 participants, mostly in the United States, who were monitored at random intervals as they went about their daily lives.
The data showed a consistent downward trend in spoken communication across all age groups, from teenagers to older adults aged over 90.
Researchers noted that younger people under the age of 25 experienced a sharper decline than older groups, a shift they suggest may be linked to the growing reliance on text messaging and smartphone-based communication.
Mehl said he initially questioned the accuracy of the results.
“At first I said, ‘That can’t be right. We need to go back and check the data again,’” he recalled.
However, after rechecking the dataset, the trend remained consistent across all years analysed.
Although the study did not directly investigate causes, researchers pointed to several possible explanations, including the rise of digital communication, increased social isolation, and changes in working patterns.
Mehl suggested that technology has played a major role, noting that more interactions now take place through text rather than speech.
He also highlighted the growing use of remote working and the decline in face-to-face collaboration as contributing factors.
Surveys on time use in the United States have also shown that people are spending more time alone than in previous decades, with fewer daily social interactions.
The study further suggests that everyday conveniences such as self-checkout systems, digital ordering, and contactless payments have reduced the need for brief exchanges in public settings, limiting opportunities for casual conversation.
Researchers warn that the shift away from spoken communication may have wider social implications.
Spoken interaction carries tone, emotion and non-verbal cues that are often lost in text-based communication.
“We use emojis to reduce uncertainty in text, but spoken communication naturally carries more meaning through tone and expression,” Mehl said.
The research also draws attention to the importance of so-called “small talk” in everyday life.
Gillian Sandstrom, an associate professor of psychology at the University of Sussex and author of Once Upon a Stranger, argues that brief interactions with strangers and acquaintances play an important role in wellbeing.
“These little interactions tend to go much better than we expect, and they help us feel more connected,” she said. “They contribute to a sense that people are generally good.”
Sandstrom noted that psychological research has historically focused on close relationships, but that interactions with strangers and casual contacts also shape feelings of belonging and community.
She added that social skills require regular practice, and that reduced day-to-day conversation may gradually erode confidence in social interaction.
“The more you talk to people, the more comfortable and skilled you become,” she said.
While the decline in speech may appear subtle in everyday life, researchers suggest it reflects a broader shift in how modern societies communicate, with implications for social cohesion, wellbeing, and human connection.
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