Subtle shifts in speech can signal the end of a relationship

+ a shootout between Black Panthers and law enforcement 50 years ago ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

When doubts about a relationship start to creep in, people don’t just blurt them out. They might not want to worry their partner and probably think they can hide their feelings pretty easily.

But it turns out that evidence of an impending breakup may exist in small words used in everyday speech. It can even happen months before either partner realizes their relationship is tanking.

In a new study, a team of psycholinguistic researchers analyzed the Reddit posts of over 6,000 people who had gone through a breakup. They were able to show how their language subtly changed in the months leading up to a breakup – well before they’d made a conscious decision to end things.

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Nick Lehr

Arts + Culture Editor

Signs of a fraying relationship can appear in subtle ways. Betsie Van der Meer via Getty Images

Evidence of an impending breakup may exist in everyday conversation – months before either partner realizes their relationship is tanking

Sarah Seraj, The University of Texas at Austin College of Liberal Arts; James W. Pennebaker, The University of Texas at Austin College of Liberal Arts; Kate G. Blackburn, The University of Texas at Austin College of Liberal Arts

Psycholinguistic researchers analyzed more than 1 million Reddit posts a year before and a year after users posted about their breakup.

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Subtle shifts in speech can signal the end of a relationship

Evidence of an impending breakup may exist in everyday conversation – months before either partner realizes their relationship is tanking

Politics + Society

Marjorie Taylor Greene and the death of the public political apology

Trump impeachment trial: Decades of research shows language can incite violence

Why a shootout between Black Panthers and law enforcement 50 years ago matters today

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Science + Technology

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Scientists at work: New recordings of ultrasonic seal calls hint at sonar-like abilities

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