Is it just me or does no one talk anymore?

[mothhawk]

I'm not the chatty type, "good morning" is enough thank you. I don't need to know what you had for supper last night, what TV you watched and what happened through each entire episode in a minute by minute account, and don't ask me what I'm going to do after work, I may not know myself, and I see no reason to inform you anyway. You are not my mother.

I spent 20 years working with horses. They are not naturally chatty. It was bliss.

[skeggijon]

At work I take it upon myself to keep up morale, so constantly confusing the foreign staff with Yorkshire-isms.
At home I have a teenage step-daughter, so conversation is limited to the vine!

[mrswadders]

I don't talk much at work, that's mainly due to the fact that i'm on my own in 'my room' Outside work I will chat to people, but quite often or not it's just me and hubby, we do chat quite a bit

[Guest]

I am a bit of light banter and that is it, I tend to need to have a reason to talk to people, if it is a meeting or group I tend to contribute more but that is because I have a dislike for a group of strangers sat in silence making the meeting seem like it is going on forever, that and the fact I had various training that changed how I act.

I purposely try to avoid going to the hairdressers because of the chatting. oh, I also tend to find the run up to that particularly time of year makes people miserable, I now shop online to avoid it.

[Bigmallly]

I think too many folk (especially the young) spend too much time with earphones in or playing with their devices, that could account for the lack of conversation.

[Lisasbolt]

It really depends who it is and what the conversation is about, i am not one for small talk....blah blah blah is the weather nice, that sort of thing drives me mad.
Online it is different as you pick and chose to be involved or not when you face to face and roll you eyes it can seem rude
I do like me time but i realise sometimes i am talking to the computer, the dog and myself (all at once

[rary]

Like others I think that all the devices that people use is taking away the art of conversation when driving my taxi for my granddaughter all I get is grunts while she plays with her iPhone or wqhat ever, one other point I have noted women gossip while men discuss and no I am not a taxi driver its just my grandchildren seem to think I am

[Guest]

other point I have noted women gossip while men discuss

Good job you haven't met my husband. When we worked together there were a couple of times he would say something and my response would be 'I know', so we would then have the - when did I know - why didn't I say etc. I didn't think it was noteworthy but it was a bit of gossip to him

[veggiechicken]

A bit of a generalization coming up so forgive me if it comes out a bit sexist..........
Where I worked the men could talk for hours about sport while the women talked about their children/family/soaps/makeup. Since neither interested me much, I'd bore them with photos of my washbasin

[WendyC]

I love a good chat but what is most alarming is the increasing number of children entering reception class with severe speech and language problems. I don't work in a deprived area. The need for talk in the early years is vital for development. It would seem the two main culprits are parents on phone and forward facing buggies, so babies and toddlers in buggies aren't getting the conversation and social clues as they can't see their parents' faces. When my two were little we talked all the time when out and about. How often do you see it now? (Climbs down from soap box)

[Martin H]

Back in the day there used to be some great conversations went on in the smoking room at work. People from all parts of the company relaxing for 10 minutes and talking about anything at all: last nights football, tv, the state of the company, business initiatives, pay negotiations, world affairs, scurrilous company gossip...

It's good that no-one smokes any more, but those conversations were brilliant for keeping team morale going and building company loyalty by a round-about way.

By the time I packed in work I found I couldn't usually get more than a sentence or two out of colleagues before their eyes went down to their mobile phones and their thumbs started twitching. Usually in the middle of me explaining something.

[noviceveggrower]

I'm not bothered whether I yap to someone all day or not. Down at the allotment I will go for a drink of tea and a sit down with everyone else. The conversation is never gossipy or about the soaps on TV. It can vary from a beetroot soup to a general gardening question.
Back at home I don't get chance to keep quiet. Han is a chatter box end Will is catching her up on the not stopping for breath front.

[craftymarie]

I really don't like this modern obsession with mobile phones.

It isn't just young people who are obsessed with them because I have older members in my family who seem to have them permanently glued in hand and it annoys the heck out of me. I find it so rude that people are messing around with mobiles all the time. My biggest pet peeve is people bring them to a dinner table. Not in my house! Grrr.

I have suffered with chronic shyness my entire life and it has held me back so much. Thank goodness my daughter is the opposite and is very sociable and chatty. I forced myself to take her out to playgroups and things when she was very young - even though I dreaded it, I wanted to make sure she would not be like me. Thankfully she isn't.

Online I am much more sociable and have found people with common interests such as crafting, writing and gardening that I chat with either via email for long term friends and different forums. It has opened up a new lifeline for me and I do think it has helped me to be a bit more sociable offline as well.

[noviceveggrower]

I know what you mean craftymarie about kids and phones. Han wants one for her Christmas but I've only been asked once and I've said no. She hasn't asked again.
All this technology isn't good for the kids. One mom on the play ground was amazed when I told her the kids didn't have any games consoles or a tv in their bedroom.
Went out for a meal a few weeks ago. There was a group of 6 people there and everyone of them had their heads down looking at their phones. Even when their food arrived they ate and still checked their phones. What is the point of going out with friends and still be on the phone.

[4390evans]

I done my trade in a mans world, I was the only girl there and I was gob smacked to hear men winge, moan and call other men they worked with. So although they say they dont winge, they do!

My toddler has speech problems, well the lack of it. She just doesnt talk and she is 3! She loves to dance and sing with me and watches my mouth move etc but she just wont do it. But I do agree the lack of interaction with kids causes a whole load of problems!