Words Per Minute

[Knee Deep in Water Chloe]

No, not typing. Although if you want to list that first in your response, that could be fun. 

I type 65 words per minute with about 3 or 4 mistakes. No mistakes, high 50s. 

However, the actual thread is about the rate at which people speak.

I work with the public on a daily basis. I deal with people who are stuck in generational poverty and who do not value a high school education much less a college one. 

I have had complaints both ways about the rate at which I and my colleagues speak. Some speak too fast which creates a perception that they're trying to scam someone. Then, there's the other side: speaking too slowly. That creates the perception that the speaker thinks the listener is dumb. This is most recent complaint I've had about myself. For me, I know what happens. When the person I'm speaking with is upset. My professional reaction is to stay calm and find common ground. My voice gets much quieter and I do speak slower because the other person is generally doing the opposite. I'm trying to get them back to a rational conversation. It's not about intelligence. It's about being in a rational, productive place. 

Anyway, is this anything you've experienced from either the speaking or listening side? Can you explain how you feel about it? Do you have strategies that have worked for you to make everyone happy about everything? (Yes, total hyperbole on that last one, but if you have figured out how to make that happen, please share!   .)

Happy Wednesday!

[dannylion]

There will always be people who seek offense where none is offered or intended, for any reason or no reason.  It is possible that the people who claim offense at speech that is "too fast" or "too slow" are simply seeking a reason to be offended.  Changing the way one speaks will not solve that problem.  People who are determined to find a reason to take offense will always find it.   

[Chocolate Lover]

I talk fairly fast on a regular basis, and get even faster when annoyed/upset/trying not to punch someone.  If I was in that sort of mood, I wouldn't be offended by you speaking a little slower. I wouldn't even notice honestly, I'd be working at not cussing/screaming at you because when I get mad after a certain level of anger everything just goes red and I have no clue what I'm saying doing. I haven't lost it like that in ages but I know the possibility is there.

If you talking to me like I'm an idiot when I'm NOT upset, then I'm going to be offended. It would really depend on exactly how slow you were speaking. And if you're using that tone that lots of people use on small children, I am going to be offended no matter what your speed. 

I tend to make sure I'm speaking a little slower than my natural pace and a little louder because I tend to speak softly.

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

I know that when I talk in public at meetings, I tend to talk fast.  I went through a 15 minute presentation in 5 minutes, leaving 10 minutes dangling at the end of my session (and I had practiced it beforehand).  So talking fast is not always a function of trying to scam, but nerves.  The last talk I gave, I finally figured out how to make my talk last the length of time that it was supposed to take, without talking slow.  

When someone speaks slowly (again, what I've observed at research meetings and in classes) is that they are not well prepared and are trying to think about what they say/how to say something without having given thought to what they're talking about beforehand.  This is assuming that there is no language difficulty.

[Tiny]

I think it all depends on the 'audience' and their frame of mind.

It's kinda like being on an elevator with strangers who are speaking in a foreign lauguage. Some people find this horribly offensive - like the people speaking the foreign language shouldn't do that on the elevator because not everyone present understands (why, as a stranger, IN AN ELEVATOR, you'd need to know what they are saying is beyond me). Some people don't give it a second thought.

I do think sometimes people develop a 'habit' or a 'script' based on how they've been treated in the past. So, when someone speaks slowly and loudly to them perhaps it 'pushes a button' and their immediate response is not positive regardless of the situation or people involved.

[Abby Normal]

I talk fast when I get nervous.  And very slowly, deliberately and deadly calm when I am angry at work.  In fact I had a coworker (who was newer) who heard me on the phone once (with a completely irrational person).  She went in to another worker and said "I've never heard her talk like that- wth?"  Other worker,  a friend who has heard it before, responded-  "stay back, she's trying not to blow". 

[wyouser]

Sept 10, 2014 8:48:09 GMT -5 Knee Deep in Water Chloe said:

No, not typing. Although if you want to list that first in your response, that could be fun. 

I type 65 words per minute with about 3 or 4 mistakes. No mistakes, high 50s. 

However, the actual thread is about the rate at which people speak.

I work with the public on a daily basis. I deal with people who are stuck in generational poverty and who do not value a high school education much less a college one. 

I have had complaints both ways about the rate at which I and my colleagues speak. Some speak too fast which creates a perception that they're trying to scam someone. Then, there's the other side: speaking too slowly. That creates the perception that the speaker thinks the listener is dumb. This is most recent complaint I've had about myself. For me, I know what happens. When the person I'm speaking with is upset. My professional reaction is to stay calm and find common ground. My voice gets much quieter and I do speak slower because the other person is generally doing the opposite. I'm trying to get them back to a rational conversation. It's not about intelligence. It's about being in a rational, productive place. 

Anyway, is this anything you've experienced from either the speaking or listening side? Can you explain how you feel about it? Do you have strategies that have worked for you to make everyone happy about everything? (Yes, total hyperbole on that last one, but if you have figured out how to make that happen, please share!   .)

Happy Wednesday!

I'm impressed, I can type 3 or 4 words per minute with at least 65 mistakes...

[cronewitch]

I always talk fast if not angry. I seldom get angry but if I am I am dead quiet, I think before speaking and never say anything I don't mean to say. I can stay upset for weeks and never forget anything even if I might consider forgiving. One I was quiet for about 2 weeks before ISO asked if we needed to talk, he said the first week he assumed was PMS but two weeks means I must be mad. I have rules for disagreements for myself one of the first is to always control my words. Another is to not change subjects I will only deal with one thing at a time. Also I never insult anyone so you will never hear me tell someone you are just like your father like it was an insult to both of them and has nothing to do with the fact that you don't put your dirty dish in the dishwasher or whatever I was upset about. So when I am quiet people need to worry.

[Deleted]

I'm Southern so no one ever accuses me of talking too fast.  Lol.

People who talk too slowly annoy me, though.  I want to hurry them up by finishing their sentences for them, which is not really a good thing to do. 

When I'm angry, I generally shut up.  I will say stuff like, "Please don't talk to me right now."  That includes students.  I know I will say something that I will regret so I don't want to say anything at all.

[ՏՇԾԵԵʅՏɧ_LԹՏՏʅҼ]

I don't know that the speed of my talking increases if upset or angry, but the volume does - - and the inflection - I might put more emphasis on specific words - like, "No, I will NOT be able to... ". "Yes, I DID remember to ... ".

(And my keyboard speed is approx 90 wpm - usually error-free or very few minor typo's) Unless I've had a couple of drinks.

[ArchietheDragon]

Visit the Typing Test and try!

[Knee Deep in Water Chloe]

Sept 10, 2014 12:58:32 GMT -5 Sum Dum Gai said:

So, I haven't heard my in laws fight much, but it's hilarious when they do.  See, my MIL was a kindergarten teacher for over 30 years.  When she's upset and thinks the other person is being unreasonable she automatically uses her teacher voice.  You guys know what I'm talking about, "Now Jimmy, use your words and your inside voice, don't push."  So he'd get annoyed about something and say something jerkish or whatever, she'd do the "Now Scott....," and you could see him getting pissed!  It's the most patronizing thing ever to do to an adult.  She wasn't doing it on purpose, it's just her default way of dealing with people that are being irrational.  Cracked me up.  Every time.

The more upset he got the more patronizing she'd sound trying to calm him down which obviously made him more upset.  I don't think she realizes she does it, even when he points it out.

I hope I don't do this professionally. I know I did/do it to my ex husband. I'll do it to customer service representatives when they've annoyed me. So, I guess I know I do it when I'm really ticked off in a Personal setting. I don't get really ticked off at work, so if I'm doing it there, I don't know it. 

[Knee Deep in Water Chloe]

Sept 10, 2014 9:36:54 GMT -5 dannylion said:

There will always be people who seek offense where none is offered or intended, for any reason or no reason.  It is possible that the people who claim offense at speech that is "too fast" or "too slow" are simply seeking a reason to be offended.  Changing the way one speaks will not solve that problem.  People who are determined to find a reason to take offense will always find it.   

Yes, that's really good point. 

[Knee Deep in Water Chloe]

Sept 10, 2014 14:16:20 GMT -5 ArchietheDragon said:

Visit the Typing Test and try!

Super fast! I'm on the iPad right now, so I'll have to try it later. 

[Miss Tequila]

I'm from the northeast. We are fast talkers up here. Nothing annoys me more than a slow talker.

[Opti]

I have had complaints both ways about the rate at which I and my colleagues speak. Some speak too fast which creates a perception that they're trying to scam someone. Then, there's the other side: speaking too slowly. That creates the perception that the speaker thinks the listener is dumb. This is most recent complaint I've had about myself. For me, I know what happens. When the person I'm speaking with is upset. My professional reaction is to stay calm and find common ground. My voice gets much quieter and I do speak slower because the other person is generally doing the opposite. I'm trying to get them back to a rational conversation. It's not about intelligence. It's about being in a rational, productive place.

I think you might be getting valuable feedback you might want to take to heart.

When people are upset they want to be heard first. They are in an emotional place.

Now I am just guessing based on what little you have posted. My sense of it, could

be totally wrong compared to if I listened to several conversations you have had of

this manner.

Nevertheless, you should strive to hear, listen, and let them vent in a non-judgmental way.

If you try to make them ignore what they feel and become "rational" on your schedule not

theirs, it is going to cause hard feelings and they will see you in a negative light.

[busymom]

Archie, I got 58 wpm with no mistakes. Not bad since I haven't taken a typing test in years!

I tend to speak fast, but had a therapist teach me that I had to slow down when DS was learning to speak.  His learning disability, & my fast speech was slowing down his ability to learn speech.  DH was also speaking too quickly, apparently, so we both learned to adapt.

I'm not sure why people are feeling offended, unless they're feeling "talked down" to. 

[Knee Deep in Water Chloe]

Well, that was an esteem boost!

[ՏՇԾԵԵʅՏɧ_LԹՏՏʅҼ]

The problem with this test Archie, as opposed to regular typing, is that the words aren't in a sentence or paragraph that you can usually read ahead as you type which increases speed.

You have to look at each individual word before focusing on the next, since they aren't composed into a sentence - if I'm transcribing text that I'm reading, I can usually read the text as a sentence and do the keyboard strokes as I read ahead and the sentence flows together as I type it.

With this test, you have to pause a fraction a second between the words and concentrate on them individually as you type, because they're just random words with a space between that have no structure.

The chosen words, and the order they're placed in, is also done to confuse the mind/fingers connection.

[Phoenix84]

I haven't really had anyone tell me I talk too fast or slow. I've never timed myself on how many words I can speak in a minute. I guess it depends on my mood, the situation, and how long the words I'm using are.

From a listening perspective, I generally don't have a problem.  In the rare instances I do, it's usually because the other person is talking too fast.

[Phoenix84]

Using the typing test you guys are using, I got 75 WPM with one mistake.

[ArchietheDragon]

Sept 11, 2014 0:14:00 GMT -5 ՏՇԾԵԵʅՏɧ_LԹՏՏʅҼ said:

The problem with this test Archie, as opposed to regular typing, is that the words aren't in a sentence or paragraph that you can usually read ahead as you type which increases speed.

You have to look at each individual word before focusing on the next, since they aren't composed into a sentence - if I'm transcribing text that I'm reading, I can usually read the text as a sentence and do the keyboard strokes as I read ahead and the sentence flows together as I type it.

With this test, you have to pause a fraction a second between the words and concentrate on them individually as you type, because they're just random words with a space between that have no structure.

The chosen words, and the order they're placed in, is also done to confuse the mind/fingers connection.

ok, slowpoke.  ; )