At 195 words per minute, about the fastest that people speak in normal conversation, the message became more credible to those listening, and therefore more persuasive. Talking fast seemed to signal confidence, intelligence, objectivity and superior knowledge.
Some studies show that speaking more rapidly makes you seem more intelligent, possibly because speed implies certainty. So what should you do? There's a better approach than simply speaking quickly or slowly, because how quickly you should speak can depend on the situation you're in.
People interpret fast talking as a sign of nervousness and a lack of self-confidence. Your fast talking can make it appear that you don't think people want to listen to you, or that what you have to say is not important.
Some individuals speak quickly out of nervousness and anxiety—they increase their rate in order to get their communication “over with,” but at the expense of clarity and diction, resulting in mumbling or jumbled speech. This particular phenomenon may apply to introverts as well as extroverts.
People talk fast because they are nervous. It's their culture, they want to get to the point, or they are worried others aren't interested in what they have to say. Let's dive a little deeper into each of these and look at some solutions for whichever reason you talk fast.
Rapid Fire Speech and Excessive Talking
One of the trademarks of ADHD is rapid fire thought and excessive speech. These signs of ADHD exist under the hyperactive-impulsive sub-type of ADHD. This symptom may cause problems within a person's professional and personal relationships.
There's no direct relationship between ADHD and talking too fast. However, it's possible that because of some of our symptoms, we might resort to speedy speech. Case in point: since forgetfulness is a common trait of people with ADHD, we might talk too much so as not to forget the ideas in our head.
Key points about fluency disorders
That's when you speak fast and jam words together or say “uh” often. It's important to assess and address speech disorders early. A fluency disorder can be diagnosed by a speech-language pathologist (SLP). A fluency disorder can't be cured.
Pressured speech is a common symptom of bipolar disorder and other mental health conditions. It typically occurs when a person is experiencing manic episodes. During this time, a person may feel compelled to speak quickly, erratically, and without stopping.
Talking fast seemed to signal confidence, intelligence, objectivity and superior knowledge. [However, another study in a different context has found that speaking slowly is linked to sounding intelligent, so the link is far from proven.]
Listening To Others—With Understanding and Empathy
Some psychologists believe that the ability to listen to another person, to empathize with, and to understand their point of view is one of the highest forms of intelligent behavior.
21. The results suggest that people perceive very talkative individuals to be of above aver- age intelligence, although very intelligent people are not necessarily perceived as being very talkative.
Talking fast can lead to a lack of clear enunciation, articulation and an engaging tone, preventing your message from taking hold in the listener's mind. They may hear your words but end up misunderstanding the full message.
On this page you'll find 56 synonyms, antonyms, and words related to fast-talking, such as: artful, articulate, eloquent, facile, loquacious, and talkative.
According to the American Psychiatric Association, symptoms of hyperactivity and impulsivity include excessive talking, blurting out answers, having difficulty waiting one's turn in a conversation and interrupting or intruding on others. Compulsive talkers can also be argumentative and short-sighted.
Pressured speech can be the result of a significant anxiety disorder but cannot be caused by everyday stress or worry. For many people who live with an anxiety disorder, racing thoughts and difficulty communicating can be quite common.
Many people with bipolar disorder experience manic episodes, which are periods of at least one week where you feel euphoric, full of energy, and need less sleep. Pressured speech is a common characteristic of mania. During a manic episode, you may feel a compulsive urge to talk rapidly without interruption.
Pragmatics and ADHD
Blurting out answers, interrupting, talking excessively and speaking too loudly all break common communication standards, for example. People with ADHD also often make tangential comments in conversation, or struggle to organize their thoughts on the fly.
People with ADHD tend to talk — a lot. We talk because we're excited or nervous, or because we just want to be a part of the conversation. Sometimes we talk simply to fill the silence because silence is hard for us.
Smaller hippocampus and amygdala sizes can cause impairment in the regulation of memory, emotion, and behavior, which is a common symptom of kids with ADHD. While these regions of the brain may remain smaller in people with ADHD, studies have shown that they do continue to grow and mature as children get older.
For many people with ADHD, their speech, language, and communication skills are significantly affected. Individuals with ADHD are at a higher risk of developing articulation disorders, issues with speech fluency, and a decrease in the overall quality and tone of their speaking voice.
Hyperactive and Impulsive Type ADHD
People of all ages may talk non-stop, interrupt others, blurt out answers, and struggle with self-control.