How to talk slower

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How to talk slower

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amother

Sun, Aug 08 2021, 8:39 pm

Is there someone who can help me speak slower? Is this OT or PT? Are there exercises you can do yourself?

amother

Aconite

Sun, Aug 08 2021, 9:13 pm

Try a speech therapist

amother

Sun, Aug 08 2021, 9:14 pm

amother [ Aconite ] wrote:

Try a speech therapist

For adults? Know how to find one for adults?

amother

Aconite

Sun, Aug 08 2021, 9:17 pm

Yes. Maybe post where you are located and someone can give a recommendation.

amother

Lawngreen

Mon, Aug 09 2021, 1:20 pm

Good for you that you recognize the need to slow down. I'm not so young anymore and I need to use subtitles when watching shows in my own language because the young actors talk so darn fast I can't understand a word they say. Older actors talk more slowly. On the phone I have to ask them to repeat and repeat and slow down and slow down.

Happens to be I just called a family friend who is in his 90s and has trouble understanding my speech over the phone. I purposely slowed down my speech to the point that it felt very awkward for me. It was perfect: he understood every word. Now I know that I have to s-l-o-o-w w-a-a-a-y d-o-w-w-n when I talk to him on the phone just as I wish younger people would slow down when they talk to me.

Until you find someone to work with you, you can practice yourself, maybe with a recording device. If you enunciate very very carefully, you will automatically slow down. If you normally go at warp speed, that may not suffice. try timing yourself as you read or recite text of a certain length. See how long it takes. Then set a timer for ten or twenty percent longer and reread the text, trying not to finish until after the timer goes off. Repeat. Then set the timer for another ten or twenty percent longer and repeat.

Blink once after every word, twice or three times at the end of a sentence.
Try singing text.
Pretend you're dictating a letter to someone who is writing it down in longhand or pretend that you yourself are writing it down longhand. Try actually writing it down longhand while you're dictating..

ora_43

Mon, Aug 09 2021, 1:27 pm

So I didn't quite learn to slow down, but I learned to enunciate better in English by using voice-to-text apps. When Otter only got, like, 60% of what I was saying, I knew I had a problem...

It's also just a habit. I don't think it's so realistic to change your speech patterns 100% of the time - if you're a fast talker, that's just what's comfortable for you and it reflects your actual thinking, and so when you're comfortable with people you'll naturally slip into that. Or maybe that's just what I tell myself... Anyway, you can definitely get into the habit of speaking more slowly with certain people/ in certain settings. Eg with a hard-of-hearing neighbor, or at work.

Practice matching your speech to people who speak slowly and clearly. Record yourself, listen, repeat. Catch yourself when you speak too quickly and slow down. Like any habit it takes a while to change it, but it can be done.

Raw

Mon, Aug 09 2021, 1:36 pm

ora_43 wrote:

This sounds like great practical advice. I’m wondering if you can share the specific apps you used? I’m not sure what Otter is.

amother

Clear

Mon, Aug 09 2021, 1:54 pm

I am a speech therapist. I think you are self aware and do not need actual therapy. Look at the reactions of the people you speak to. Do they look confused when you speak, or ask for clarification? If yes, that is a cue that you need to slow down.

amother

Rainbow

Mon, Aug 09 2021, 1:58 pm

I talk very fast. I think because I have a quick mind. I used to finish tests very quickly in school and I got al A’s. If people understand me is it a problem?

amother

Mon, Aug 09 2021, 2:33 pm

amother [ Clear ] wrote:

No one asks me to slow down or for clarification. I speak very clearly. A psychiatrist told me I speak very fast and made me feel bad about it so now I'm self conscious. I asked some friends and they said I speak the normal side of fast but can be understood. I want to slow down.

amother

Bluebell

Mon, Aug 09 2021, 2:50 pm

Hi-
I am a speech therapist as well. My specialty is with adults. I completely agree with the therapist above. If you are conscious and aware of your rate, than you dont need sessions. We usually work on clients for pacing, when they are unable to self monitor, and it becomes a problem for the communication partner (aka listener). Personally, if you are articulate, and others can understand you without difficulty, I dont see a problem. Everyone's speech is unique to them. But if it does indeed bother you, I would just take the time to record yourself (in different settings) and listen back. Reminding yourself to take extra breaks (you can use visual cues like extra commas and periods on something you are reading aloud). Also, sometimes just taking the extra time to think before engaging in the conversation, something like "speak to x like they are grandma". Youd be surprised how much that works.

Im sorry if this message wasnt great. Im doing like 8 different things right now.

amother

Lawngreen

Mon, Aug 09 2021, 3:55 pm

amother [ Rainbow ] wrote:

I talk very fast. I think because I have a quick mind. I used to finish tests very quickly in school and I got al A’s. If people understand me is it a problem?

yes. because people who don't understand you won't necessarily tell you so. They'll just nod their heads and say uh-huh, uh huh.

Talking fast is not necessarily a sign of superior intelligence. "Fast talker" is a term of contempt for a scam artist. He talks fast so that people won't catch on to his lies and inconsistencies until it's too late.

It's also a sign of nervousness and insecurity.

amother

Whitewash

Mon, Aug 09 2021, 6:31 pm

amother [ Rainbow ] wrote:

I talk very fast. I think because I have a quick mind. I used to finish tests very quickly in school and I got al A’s. If people understand me is it a problem?

T-4??
Anyway you remind me of someone I know who says that she stutters because her mind thinks faster than she can speak, because she's so smart so she stutters on the words. A ST can correct me if I'm wrong, but I can't imagine that it's true. I think it's people's ways of excusing their imperfections (speaking fast, stuttering, etc) by saying, no it's because I'm perfect, I'm too smart for my own good. Sorry, we love you the way you are, whether you speak too fast, stutter, etc but don't t-4 yourself!!

ora_43

Tue, Aug 10 2021, 4:32 am

Raw wrote:

This sounds like great practical advice. I’m wondering if you can share the specific apps you used? I’m not sure what Otter is.

Otter is the voice-to-text program I was using at work at the time. So that's the main thing I used.

https://otter.ai/

amother

Denim

Tue, Aug 10 2021, 8:18 am

My son speaks too fast. So far the only thing that has helped him is to tap his hand as he says each word. Each word gets a tap. If he’s speaking too fast he can’t tap.

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