[Jumble Jowls]

Over the past few years, I've noticed that most people I talk to on the phone talk too fast and without pausing, making it difficult to actually hold a conversation. I attribute it to the increased popularity of coffee over the past decade or two. As a result, I often have to interrupt them to get a word in edgewise. At times, I even comment to people, usually clients -- after finally interrupting them -- "Hold on, let me break in here ... I'm not being rude, and know everyone is hyped up on coffee today, but I need to get a word in here." Ever notice that? I'm a big coffee drinker too, but have learned to slow my mind down when I pick up the phone.

[Randito]

The global warming thread on this forum is a strong case against intelligent conversation. My wife is from Chicago and I grew up here. I had a hard time adjusting to conversations in her family. I was used to slight gaps between when one person stopped speaking and when it was OK for the next person to speak. In her family, people would talk over each other constantly. My wife was annoyed with me for not making conversation at family gatherings. I eventually learned to just start talking like the rest of her family. Its a toss up whether she is more or less annoyed now. BTW most of her family don't drink coffee -- they just talk a lot. Listening -- not so much.

[Backpacker Joe]

Yesterday I went to get some food from a Thai place and while I was waiting for pick up there were Five people at a table and all of them were texting! They were sitting right next to each other and all of them were staring into their phones texting. Id say that people aren't intelligent enough for intelligent conversation!

[crazyhiker]

[olderthanIusedtobe]

[Pyrites]

There are distinct regional differences in rate of speed. There are also differences in when conversation moves from one person to next. In business I've also seen people who cut off others with the intent to prevent ideas that are not the one they prefer.

[GeoTom]

[Chico]

[Dogpatch]

Nah, they're just talking real fast, trying to get it all said before their stupid cellphone drops the signal. Us oldsters can remember a time when you picked up a telephone and each party could hear the other. Cellphones are NOT an advance.

[Malachai Constant]

You kids, get off my lawn!

[Ski]

it's not the coffee. it's TV and current day mainstream media. makes people stupid and talk gibberish. I get it all the time when I call businesses - they answer the phone like they're ready to wet their pants - I tell them they have to speak slowly for old people and they usually get it. if not, I just hang up and redial. no problem.

[Dogpatch]

[touron]

[GrnXnham]

[treeswarper]

I simply say, "I'm from E. Warshington where we talk slowly." Yeah, time for somebody to post data conflicting with that, but it usually works and sometimes gets a laugh. I do not care for the yah yah yah which is overused and I think came from Seinfeld. To me, it seems like that is a rude way of saying that what the other person is saying is not important and they should hurry up so the Yah yaher can take over. Slow it down, please. Or you might could have to repeat it all over again, and again...