[brnt]

It's a way to prime others in the convo to start focusing in you. Then once focused, you deliver the meat. It's a very, very old technique. The reason we write those conversational techniques down is our increased literacy (we use written words more and more) and the acceptance of writing informally basically everywhere.

[moneytide1]

This makes sense - talking with fingers and leaving records of our dialogue to be eventually read at the leisure of recipient(s) is does not require the instantaneous turn-taking auditory announcement devices we are referencing.

I wonder if people will gradually become less quick and witty over time with this increasingly standard mode of communication.

But there are benefits to be reaped from our ebb & flow of commenting and pondering throughout our day.