We are a commune of inquiring, skeptical, politically centrist, capitalist, anglophile, traditionalist New England Yankee humans, humanoids, and animals with many interests beyond and above politics. Each of us has had a high-school education (or GED), but all had ADD so didn't pay attention very well, especially the dogs. Each one of us does "try my best to be just like I am," and none of us enjoys working for others, including for Maggie, from whom we receive neither a nickel nor a dime. Freedom from nags, cranks, government, do-gooders, control-freaks and idiots is all that we ask for.
For months, I was trying to explain to my wife a vocal affectation younger members of the office staff employ. I've noticed it for about 2 or 3 years, and its use is growing, not diminishing. I can't mimic it myself, and trying to explain it to her only left her more confused than before. I asked my boys if they were aware of it, but since I couldn't explain it well, they just shook their heads.
Then, on CBS' Sunday Morning program, a short piece was delivered on "Vocal Fry". That's it, I pointed out to my wife. I don't have the CBS piece, but here is a very clear example of the speech pattern.
When I first heard it, I thought "that's someone trying to be a Valley Girl," but the tone is lower rather than higher, as it is in Valleyspeak. I assumed, like Valleyspeak, it would be a fad and go away. Its use has grown substantially, however. Today, apparently, it is used as a means of sounding either authoritative or sexy. I think it sounds lazy. I don't think I'm judging harshly, oftentimes when this voice is used, the person provides a blank stare along with it. Clearly it began as a derisive or insulting voice, though now it's just commonplace.
Once, an anxious parent wrote into Liberman’s blog to complain that a Ph.D. daughter populates her speech with uptalks, as do her doctor/lawyer peers. Could Liberman point to any research proving the “negative effects” of this feminine affectation? “You're certainly entitled to your crotchets and irks, just as your adult daughter is entitled to her prosodic preferences,” Liberman responded. “But in order for the two of you to get along, something's going to have to give. And realistically, it's you.”
It's not just women doing it, either. Many of the young men in my office are beginning to use it, one young fellow outside my office speaks exclusively in vocal fry. Is it an affectation? Perhaps it started out that way, but it's becoming a standard.
I don't agree with Liberman's response. Sure, I'm getting old and young people are doing things I don't like or agree with. Most of it I can live with. But as a parent, I don't have to accept anything, even from an adult son/daughter. My father will still comment on behaviors of mine he dislikes, and I accept his point of view, even if I don't always agree with it. More often than not, though, I realize he's got a point. Even as adults, we can still learn, and we should learn, from our parents.
Have you heard it, and if so, what was your point of view?
Oh Boy! You hit on something today! I also have a speech affectation that I just can't stand, but it's not the "fry tone". It is a sound that is more like clucking. You know when the elementary school teacher puts her tongue behind her front teeth and sucks it up to the roof of her mouth. I call it "tongue clucking". It is most commonly found among women who are active liberals and strong members of the democratic party. You know the ones I mean--the gals who are always sitting in judgment of anyone slightly different than themselves, or the appointed norm. Can't stand them %$#@ tongue cluckers !
I could only get through about :30 of the vid before I thought my head would explode. Crikey, that was painful!
I closed my eyes to listen and it seemed almost a weird amalgam of Valley Speak and Locust Valley Lockjaw; but outside of ironic or snarky situations, it would seem ridiculous. As a child of the '80s we indulged in Valley Speak quite often in our little social groups, mainly as a tone of disparagement over someone or something. Over time it lost its impact and we dropped it. Even then we understood it to be an affectation; our parents would have killed us if we had adopted it permanently.
I work with a recent college graduate - Stanford, no less - who is quite intelligent but she cannot complete a sentence without either resorting to 'uptalk', or inserting the word 'like' to the point of nausea. Coupled with what sounds to me as an artificially high-pitched female tone (it's not; she's just a girly girl) and it's all I can do to make it through a conversation without tearing my hair out. The amusing thing is that my voice tone in comparison makes me sounds as if I'm channeling Lauren Bacall. I kinda like it.
It is all part of the larger problem of young people (mostly under 40, but also a lot from 40 to 50) that refuse to talk like an adult. I love accents and idioms, but I can't stand adults talking like babies. Elocution anyone? Anyone?
So, Bulldog, if I'm reading this right, this is a medical post. Vocal chords everywhere thank you.
I did, however, find the CBS article on YouTube for you, and you're right! That Vocal Fryspeech sounds terrible! It kicks into gear at the 1:10 mark. That stuff should be banned!
Funny, I considered that, but I believe the jury's out as to whether it will cause vocal damage. It certainly causes aural damage. I can't stand it, and I listen to it every single day.
The Sunday Morning commentator says it sounds "disengaged", which I think is accurate. A young man in our Sales Department uses vocal fry. I can't imagine how or why he was considered to be a good representative of our company with that speech pattern. Time will tell if it matters.
I chose Pop Culture as the category because if it's an affectation or fad, then it's just 'one of those things'.
Most importantly, I think it's an offshoot of Valleyspeak and Britneymania. I understand (though don't know since I don't listen to them or watch their show) Kim and Chloe Kardashian use vocal fry, as well.
I watched a little of it. Strong resemblance to my three youngest daughters when they were pre-teens, living in southern California back in the early '70s. The older two and the heir, in their early teens, didn't catch it, and the younger ones outgrew it by puberty. Is everyone sure this is something new, of just coming to light because we're in the YouTube age?
Well, I'll agree with that woman's disdain for the habit she decries, though there are probably some speaking habits of hers that I also consider annoying.
But she is a cutie so if she wants to make more videos it's fine with me.
