Fast talk

 

Rick just edited an article about the speed of talking. Although it referred to pilots communicating in English, it made me think.

Living in a country where there are four official languages, I am often speaking with a person who has English as a second language. Never mind that Geneva is 43% foreign and if a language is spoken somewhere in the world, I'm sure I could find it on the streets of the city.

When I'm talking with Rick, my daughter or another American, I speak fast. But all Americans speak at the same rate. People from the North East speak faster than people from the South.

Rick told me that Americans overall speak at about 6+ syllables per second, but British English is slower. I have no figures for Australian, South African, New Zealand or Canadian speech speed. 

I would love to be timed under different circumstances.

When my speaking companion has a different mother tongue, I slow my speech. 

Fast talk is not limited to English speakers. Suisse Francophones speak slower than many French Francophones. I am so grateful when either speak slowly to me.

I joke when on a French tech line asking for help I ask the person to speak more slowly, the women do. The men do too for maybe a sentence than resume their natural speed. Even in English, I need tech people to speak slowly almost like Puuuut-yooour-fiiiiiin-geerr-oooon-the-ees-caape-key. 

Different languages also have different frequencies. A hearing test showed my French frequency comprehension is less than perfect. It is a good excuse for my mispronunciations.

Between speed, volume, frequency, accents, vocabulary I'm amazed that we understand each other at all. 

Maybe we should all learn sign language, except signing is also different for different languages. 

I am now about to tell my husband, lunch is ready. He will understand no matter what my speed.