How many WPM does the average person speak?

[Vadatajs]

I'm taking a speech course as per a requirement, and I'm wondering how fast the average American speaks in words per minute. Does anybody know?

 

[vi edit]

Depends on region and how many triple latte's they've had.

 

[Zim Hosein]

Originally posted by: vi_edit
Depends on region and how many triple latte's they've had.

That's funny as h*ll but so true vi_edit

 

[spidey07]

not nearly as many as a ticked off spanish chick.

 

[Vadatajs]

Originally posted by: spidey07
not nearly as many as a ticked off spanish chick.

LOL, true, but I'm actually looking for a number.

 

[Chaotic42]

Informal testing:

It takes me 1 second to say: "I don't know, why do you say that?"
It has a pause, which if counted as a word, gives us 9 syllables. That means that I can say about 540 syllables a minute.

 

[Vadatajs]

Originally posted by: Chaotic42
Informal testing:

It takes me 1 second to say: "I don't know, why do you say that?"
It has a pause, which if counted as a word, gives us 9 syllables. That means that I can say about 540 syllables a minute.

Thank you, that helps a lot. I've been having some trouble keeping my speeches within 4 minutes.

 

[AreaCode707]

Approximately 600 wpm, allowing for a wide range of variance. (IIRC; I'm a comm major and learned it in one of my classes, a couple quarters ago.)

 

[dman]

Originally posted by: Hatari Chic
Approximately 600 wpm, allowing for a wide range of variance. (IIRC; I'm a comm major and learned it in one of my classes, a couple quarters ago.)

That's how fast some people can read. Link, See last paragraph:

Auctioneers can speak @ ~250wpm. Book on Tape actors, 175wpm.

I just remembered as a kid reading about J.F.K. and his speed reading / talking abilities, so, I did a google search and came up with the above.

Here's
one that claims 140-160wpm is the ideal rate for speaches.

 

[Winchester]

The brain can handle over 1200-1500 WPM, but we can only speak about 400-500. Something like that.

 

[Syringer]

One alligator, two alligator.

That seems to be a standard method of counting the seconds..and each second consists of 5 syllables.

 

[GoingUp]

During our reading tests in school, I could read about 900wpm with 95% comprehension

 

[Zugzwang152]

Originally posted by: Winchester
The brain can handle over 1200-1500 WPM, but we can only speak about 400-500. Something like that.

i wish i could type that fast