WHO SPEAK MORE – MEN OR WOMEN?
“When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but whoever restrains his lips is prudent” (Prov.10:19). Words, written or spoken, are the way humans communicate with each other. The English language consists of more than 800,000 words. The average person knows about 10,000 words and uses 5,000 of them in his/her everyday speech, with many of these words being spoken multiple times. A study done some years ago claimed on average a woman speaks about 20,000 words each day compared to the 7,000 spoken by a man. But a recent study has shown those figures to be inaccurate. The study reveals that on average a woman speaks 16,215 words each day while the man speaks 15,669 words. The difference of 546 words is not very significant. The study also found that the chatterbox of the two sexes turned out to be the male, instead of the female. One guy spoke on average about 47,000 words a day. Regardless of who is doing the talking each person needs to remind himself of the proverb beginning this article – “when words are many, transgression is not lacking.” A modern rendition of the proverb reads, “If you talk a lot, you are sure to sin.” In James’ letter we are warned about the danger of the untamable tongue. He likens an uncontrolled tongue to a destructive fire and says it is comparable to the deadly poison of a serpent. Who would argue against what James said? Friendships have been broken, marriages ruined, and wars started because someone said more than they should have. When a person thinks he must do all the talking, he are likely suffering from a condition that has been coined, “motor mouth.” In addition to the havoc the “talker” may cause in this life, there is something else to consider. While addressing the Pharisees, Jesus warned “…that on the Judgment Day people will be responsible for every careless thing they have said. The words you have said will be used to judge you. Some of your words will prove you right, but some of your words will prove you guilty.” (Mt.12:36,37). Of the estimated 16,000 words we speak each day, may we choose them well. Someone once said, “He who talks much cannot always talk well.” And, may we also remember that sometimes the best thing to do is to remain silent – “whoever restrains his lips is prudent.”