English...is it a slow language?

Question

When I hear other languages, they always seem very fast in comparison to English. The tempo of English seems much slower or something.

Is it just because I can't understand the other languages that they seem so fast? Or is English actually slower (in normal conversation terms)?

Answer 1

English isn't any "slower" than any other language. When English Language Learners hear the English language they usually ask you to "slow down". This is because they are new to the language. Most likely, that's what is happening with you. Because you don't speak other languages and can't continue with the "natural" tempo of the conversation they seem "fast." English is just as "fast" as any other language.

Answer 2

English is the largest language on Earth, the equivalent of knowing French and Mandarin, so we can say more in less words making it seem slower. If the previous sentence was written in French or Spanish it would be at least twice as long.

Answer 3

its just like you said, seems slower but if you dont understand a language youre still trying to figure out the last word then you hear the next and try to figure it out , meanwhile three or four other foreign words cruise by.

Answer 4

talk to a new yorker and then to a midwesterner and you'll hear a real difference in speeds of english. some languages have combinations of sounds which then sound more fluid so that might make english sound more 'start and stop' but having heard manylanguages, i'd say english is about average.

Answer 5

It probably sounds that way because many other languages need to use more words to say the same sentence we say in English

Answer 6

i dont think so i speak arabic and i think arabic is slower

Answer 7

It is not slow to me.