Episode Details

Americans are speaking about 28% fewer words daily since 2005 — roughly 300 fewer words per year — a trend uncovered while researchers revisited older gender-talking studies. While tech like smartphones and social media likely played a role, the study doesn’t claim direct causation or address pandemic impacts. The drop mainly affected small, everyday conversations — not big chats — and younger people showed steeper declines, possibly tied to digital habits. Fewer spoken words doesn’t mean less connection — texting a friend still counts as socializing. But whether this shift reflects deeper disconnection remains unclear.

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