Daily spoken words dropped 28% in 15 years as smartphones reshaped communication

University of Missouri-Kansas City and University of Arizona researchers analyzed 22 studies tracking over 2,000 participants using audio logs. Average daily word count fell from 16,632 in 2005 to 11,900 by 2019—roughly 338 words lost annually. The decline accelerated among those under 25, who shed 451 words per day yearly. App-based ordering, text messaging, and online activity substituted for face-to-face speech, fundamentally reshaping how people coordinate and transact.