2026
June 29th
Americans are speaking 28% fewer words
People are talking less. A recent study found that the average number of words spoken in person has fallen from around 17,500 per day in 2005 to 12,700 in 2019—a 28% decline. The authors note that this decrease coincided with a massive uptake in digital communication, but the gains there were not enough to offset the losses in face-to-face communication. The decline likewise corresponds with a “loneliness epidemic,” suggesting that digital communication is an inadequate substitute for in-person connection.
