English scores the highest number of words per minute, followed by Spanish with shorter syllables. In non-alphabetic languages, reading speed is slow since they have characters rather than syllables.
Results. The maximum reading speed for Chinese characters was 259.5 ± 38.2 characters/min, which was significantly faster than that for English letters (135.7 ± 18.5 words/min, p = 2.8 × 10‐18). The critical font size for Chinese characters was larger than that for English letters (24.2 ± 2.8 arcmin vs.
Modern Chinese with logographic characters and English with alphabetic written systems are the two languages under study. It is hypothesized that native Chinese readers read faster than native English readers on the same reading comprehension test.
Humans have multiple senses that serve as channels of communication, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. We may be able to read faster than we speak, but speed is only one dimension of communication.
The crucial point creating the difference is that Mandarin uses two or several meaningful characters to create a new concept and each character has its own meaning relate to the new concept. This is a huge advantage over English in the aspect of efficiency.
It is estimated that it takes 4 times longer for a native English speaker to become proficient in Chinese than it does to reach a similar level in French or Spanish. Therefore, it would seem that, for the next generation at least, Mandarin will not replace English as the global language.
Despite the fact that English turned out to be the most efficient language out of the 7 examined, others came pretty close to it. What's interesting is that the languages which have a lower information rate, tend to be spoken at a way faster rate (especially Spanish, French, and Japanese).
Subvocalization readers (Mental readers) generally read at approximately 250 words per minute, auditory readers at approximately 450 words per minute and visual readers at approximately 700 words per minute. Proficient readers are able to read 280–350 wpm without compromising comprehension.
Chewing gum can help trick the brain into thinking that mouth is busy doing something else so skips the auditory reassurance. Use your finger as a guide while reading – practice to put the finger on the word after the word you are reading and then let your eyes chase the finger as you read.
Excellent speed reading involves practice and retraining yourself, as well as learning to focus more on what is in front of you and avoiding distractions. But it is important to strike the right balance between speed and comprehension: sometimes speed reading is not appropriate or helpful.
Japanese is slightly easier to learn. But, Chinese is much more widely spoken. Both languages have their pros and cons. Ultimately whichever language pulls on your heartstrings the most is the winner.
Lastly, though speed reading is a skill often exhibited by intelligent and gifted people, this does not mean that a speed reader is automatically better than others. Anyone can learn how to speed read with adequate focus and determination, and everyone can use a speed reading tool anytime.
Dyslexia is less common among Chinese speakers, but it definitely exists. However, a 2004 study at the University of Hong Kong used MRI scans to show that different regions of the brain were involved with the dyslexia of Chinese speakers versus English speakers.
They found Japanese and Spanish, often described as “fast languages,” clocked the greatest number of syllables per second. The “slowest” language in the set was Mandarin, followed closely by German.
One of the main reasons why learning Chinese is more difficult than learning English is the complexity of Chinese characters. Unlike the English language, which uses the 26 letters of the alphabet, Chinese has tens of thousands of characters that need to be learned in order to read and write effectively.
A recent French study of the density and speed of 20 languages found Mandarin to be one of the slowest languages examined (in a group including French, English, and Japanese), in terms of syllables spoken per minute.
Let them chew gum! We know – this is a surprising tip. Many classrooms actually prohibit the chewing of gum or eating in class. But for kids with ADHD, chewing gum during class time or while doing homework can actually help – it can increase test scores, and even assists in controlling negative, aggressive behavior.
You don't need to say every word in your head to be able to understand what you are reading. When you were younger, it was absolutely necessary to say each and every single word, but now you can extract the meaning of words by simply seeing them.
The average American chews around 300 sticks of gum in one year. Richard Walker holds the world record and 'chomp title', for chewing 135 sticks of bubble gum for 8 hours straight. The total value of the entire chewing gum industry is estimated to be about $19 billion.
It's speculated that Bill Gates reads at a speed of approximately 750 wpm, which allows him to go through 150 pages in an hour.
"If you understand and appreciate that," says Elizabeth Schotter, a cognitive psychologist at UC San Diego, "it becomes really obvious that no human being can read 1,000 or 2,000 words per minute and maintain the same levels of comprehension they do at 200 or 400 words per minute."
English, Mandarin Chinese, Spanish, and Arabic are widely recognized as some of the most important languages due to their global reach and the number of people who speak them.
Aramaic is best known as the language Jesus spoke. It is a Semitic language originating in the middle Euphrates. In 800-600 BC it spread from there to Syria and Mesopotamia.