The Hare and the Tortoise

Listening Fast and Slow

I think my speaking rate in English is fairly average, somewhere between 140 and 160 words per minute. Fast presentations have been recorded at over 200 wpm, while some public speakers deliver speeches at closer to 100 wpm.

Research on the rate of speech is substantial, but we know much less about listening beyond language comprehension. When researchers do discuss listening speed, their focus is usually on questions such as: How quickly can we process spoken language? How many words per minute can we understand before meaning begins to break down?

It turns out that our listening comprehension speed is roughly comparable to our reading speed, at around 250 to 280 words per minute.

Understanding how quickly we process language is important, but it only tells part of the story. When we listen to comprehend language, we often listen fast. We listen predictively, matching what we expect to hear with the words being spoken, allowing us to move efficiently towards understanding.

One reason we are drawn to the study and practice of listening fast is that it is relatively easy to measure. Word counts, recall tests, and key-point identification all provide tangible ways of assessing how much information has been absorbed.

The merits of listening slow can seem less obvious because it requires us to stay with uncertainty a little longer. Yet this slower form of listening may be just as important because it allows us to attend not only to what is being said, but also to the person saying it, the relationship between us, and the meanings that emerge through conversation.

I wrote a guest blog, Listening Fast and Listening Slow for Lemonade from Lemons, a community that supports people with communication differences. In this essay, I explore Listening Slow as an equally important endeavour in understanding both people and the things they talk about. My wager is that the payoff may be greater than we imagine.

Thank you to Lemonade from Lemons founder Dr. Firle Beckley for creating such an accessible and thoughtful space for these conversations.