Speech Rate Too Fast Tips to Slow Down
Written on May 26, 2008
We’ve all heard speakers who talk so fast we are left in the dust. Listeners may end up ten words behind, especially if the topic is complex or unfamiliar. In sales, a rapid rate of speech can result in a lost potential sale.
People talk so fast because others around them do this, because they think erroneously that others will not take the time to listen to them, and because they do not realize the listeners are struggling. In some cultures, speaking quickly is a sign of professional competence.
The average speech rate in the mid-Atlantic states is 120 - 140 words per minute.
Tags: clarity, communication, diction, lisp, mumbling, sales, speech rate, talks too fastFiled in: communication.