Why do auctioneers sound like that?

[PaulFitzroy]

Anyone who's had the pleasure of attending an auction will know what I mean:

umbadabumbadbadadadabumbadatwentyfivetwentyfivethirty, thirty, thirty bada bum badabumbadabumbadambadababababumbadathirty! whatamigonnagetthirtythirtyfivethirtyfive umbadamumbadabumbadabum thirtyfive!!! And so on and so forth.

What the hell? Why do they do this...it's almost as if they're singing, like they have to chant some kind of ritual incantation in order to auction off the stuff. It sounds so anachronistic...it's really a lot of fun to watch.

It was the first time I'd ever been to an auction, and when I first heard the auctioneer's weird chanting, I couldn't help myself---I felt the hysterical laughter flood up through my throat...I had to bite down on my toungue and strain to keep my mouth shut, because if I didn't I knew that I would erupt in laughter. Wow...the novelty of it wore off after about 10 minutes and then I just started thinking about how weird it was.

Which brings us right back here. So, what's the deal?

[occ]

I think the original impetus was speed -- I've not been to many auctions, and the last one I went to, there's no way I could hope to compete. That, combined with the "barker" aspect (trying to drum up interest in the merchandise through patter), seems to be what the "auctioneer speak" is all about. Of course, modern auctioneers are surely imitating the mannerisms of the past, much like how every pilot talks like Chuck Yeager

[tygerbryght]

Originally Posted by PaulFitzroy

Why do auctioneers sound like that?

Anyone who's had the pleasure of attending an auction will know what I mean:

...

What the hell? Why do they do this...it's almost as if they're singing, like they have to chant some kind of ritual incantation in order to auction off the stuff. It sounds so anachronistic...it's really a lot of fun to watch.
...

My father was an auctioneer. And I remember first hearing an auctioneer's chant when I was very small. It takes practice listening before you can understand everything they're saying.

My Daddy didn't do it, though. He told me he tried it, and he got better results (bids) when he just talked. Of course, he could talk pretty fast anyway, and was most persuasive.

I dunno if they have them anymore, but there used to be auctioneer schools where the aspiring went to learn how to "chant". Yup, that's what they called it.

Hey. I just googled, and there still are tons of them, including - of course - at least one (in the first page of results) that seems to offer instruction online. How can the student get feedback???? It ain't just being able to chant (though my father was highly successful without it); there are lots of other things. <sigh>

[LSLGuy]

occ,

And no, all pilots do NOT talk like Chuck Yeager.

As a professional pilot for 25 years now, I have the utmost respect for his abilities which far outstrip my own. On the other hand, he sounds like an ignorant hillbilly. And to me at least, that's NOT the sound of competence.

[t-bonham@scc.net]

The auctioneer's chant is actually quite an effective communication, once you learn how to understand it. (And frequent buyers do, of course.)

Most of it is a constantly updated & repeated recitation of 2 items:
- the current high bid
- the asking price for the next bid

Both of those are of major importance in an auction, and this chant developed because the bidders want to be constantly informed of those prices.

[Hail Ants]

About ten years ago I went with a friend to a siezed car auction in NYC. Never have been to any kind of auction I was amazed when the auctioneer began doing the whole 'fast talking, going once-twice-SOLD!, banging his gavel' thing. It was just like you saw on TV.

I think there's some official auctioneer guild that licenses & regulates them.

[tygerbryght]

Originally Posted by Hail Ants

...

I think there's some official auctioneer guild that licenses & regulates them.

I seriously doubt it. It's possible that some states regulate auctioneers and require a license, however.

If you really want to know, google for auction schools and ask a couple (more than one, because somebody might just take it into their head to play a joke; auctioneers tend to have rough senses of humor - or at least all those I've known did).