1759: Syllables Per Second Oct 8, 2019

Have you ever noticed that some languages seem to be spoken faster than others? There is evidence for this, measuring the syllables-per-second, but also keep in mind that not knowing where words are parsed may also make language sound faster. There are a few explanations for speed-differences, including simply cultural factors, but it is not fair to say that it is due to longer sentences compared to slower-spoken languages. Evidence suggests languages convey information at roughly the same rates, so that faster speech in languages like Spanish or Japanese—known for being spoken faster—is not because the utterances themselves are longer but is instead a choice by the speaker.