WRFH/Radio Free Hillsdale 101.7 FM - Word to the Wise: How to Speak

Episode Date: February 27, 2025

Is verbal intelligence on the decline?

Hi, I'm Ariel McDowell here with a word to the wise. This might sound odd, but I have beef with today's popular vernacular. For example, in response to asking a teen why she enjoys hiking, you might hear something to the effect of, I don't know, it's just like a great way to like get out there, you know? What she meant to convey was, being outside encourages me. However, in twice as many words, she has managed to communicate significantly less. According to a study published by Science Direct, adult vocabulary skills are on the decline. A Additionally, people seem to perceive those who communicate this way as likable, down to earth, worth imitating. In decades past, someone who spoke this way publicly would be roasted like crazy, but now lacking verbal intelligence is cool?

Shifting this dynamic would require cultural overhaul, but at the very least, let me petition you. If you are a teen, don't dumb down your dialect to fit in. I'm Ariel McDowell, and that's today's Word to the Wise.