# “I don’t like your tone of voice” **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 21, 2023, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-don-t-like-your-tone-of-voice/978570 "2023-01-21T14:38:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2023, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-don-t-like-your-tone-of-voice/978570/1 "2023-01-21T14:38:19Z")
Challenge: The next 5 people who approach you and engage in conversation, reply to what they say with, “I don’t like your tone of voice”. I don’t know what made me think of this, but I did it. Three of the five looked like I’d slapped them across the face. The other two repeated what they’d said in a goofy tone of voice. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2023, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-don-t-like-your-tone-of-voice/978570/2 "2023-01-21T14:41:33Z")
Might be fun to do this with Jehovah’s Witnesses who come to your door. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2023, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-don-t-like-your-tone-of-voice/978570/3 "2023-01-21T14:42:42Z")
I say that to Bear the Siamese everyday. He don’t give a crap. ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2023, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-don-t-like-your-tone-of-voice/978570/4 "2023-01-21T15:26:31Z")
That’s hilarious! For an encore, tell the next five people “You’re ugly.” And the next five, tell them “You’re an asshole.” Seriously, why would you do that? What do you get out of it? ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2023, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-don-t-like-your-tone-of-voice/978570/5 "2023-01-21T15:30:23Z")
“You’re ugly” and “you’re an asshole” are insults. Not liking someone’s tone of voice, not so much. ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2023, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-don-t-like-your-tone-of-voice/978570/6 "2023-01-21T15:30:53Z")
Then what was the point? ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2023, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-don-t-like-your-tone-of-voice/978570/7 "2023-01-21T15:32:21Z")
> [@Rilchiam](#): > > What do you get out of it? The five times I tried this it led to some interesting conversations. It’s not quite a non sequitar, but it’s close, and I love non sequitars. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2023, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-don-t-like-your-tone-of-voice/978570/8 "2023-01-21T15:33:14Z")
> [@Rilchiam](#): > > Then what was the point? Point? Who needs a point? ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2023, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-don-t-like-your-tone-of-voice/978570/9 "2023-01-21T15:34:43Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > I love non sequitars. Nonsense, it was blue. ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2023, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-don-t-like-your-tone-of-voice/978570/10 "2023-01-21T15:35:32Z")
One of my 6 cats, Pee Pee (don’t ask) has the most obnoxious meow of any cat I’ve ever known (and I’ve known many). It’s a grating, loud, low-pitched, monotone meow of 5 seconds duration. Whenever she see’s me, she assaults me with a long string of her grating, ear-splitting _meoooooooooooooooooooooooows._ Note: Pee Pee is the lone female in my clowder of cats. I suggest no correlation between female cats and female humans, however (I’m not stupid, and don’t want my genitals kicked). Pee Pee meows whenever she is hungry and she is _always_ hungry, even 5 minutes after eating a big bowl of Kit & Kaboodle. IOW, she meows _all_ the time. So, the last time Pee Pee meowed (20 seconds ago), I looked her in the eye and said, _I don’t like your tone of voice, young lady!_ She looked me back in the eye with disdain and replied with a **10** second _meow_ that was louder and _more_ obnoxious than ever. Result: Fail! ---
**Author:** ![Wolf333](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf333/32/3460_2.png) [@Wolf333](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wolf333)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2023, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-don-t-like-your-tone-of-voice/978570/11 "2023-01-21T15:42:11Z")
I was thinking it would be funny to walk into a room, gesture vaguely at an empty wall, and say, “all of this has to go” and walk back out. ---
**Author:** ![Baal\_Houtham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baal_houtham/32/13604_2.png) [@Baal\_Houtham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baal_Houtham)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2023, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-don-t-like-your-tone-of-voice/978570/12 "2023-01-21T15:45:11Z")
> [@Rilchiam](#): > > Then what was the point? Hmm. I’ll be keeping my eye on you. ---
**Author:** ![ASL\_v2.0](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asl_v2.0/32/3525_2.png) [@ASL\_v2.0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ASL_v2.0)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2023, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-don-t-like-your-tone-of-voice/978570/13 "2023-01-21T15:45:23Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > “You’re ugly” and “you’re an asshole” are insults. Not liking someone’s tone of voice, not so much. It _can be_ incredibly insulting. Just like saying “wow, you certainly do like cake!” can be both taken _and meant_ as an insult depending on the circumstances. Say it to me today and I might just smile and say “Yep, I sure do!” and go on enjoying my cake. Say it to me ten years ago as I was 30 pounds heavier, and I might not take it so “lightly” if you catch my drift (and doubly so if I happen to not be eating any cake at the time). But to the subject at bar, for an example of how criticizing someone’s tone can go beyond even mere insult to incredibly hostile see _tone policing_ (and, again, if someone can’t imagine how you could reasonably take issue with their tone, that may _greatly increase_ the risk of them taking it as an insult, not jumping to “Oh, haha!” like it’s a joke). ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2023, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-don-t-like-your-tone-of-voice/978570/14 "2023-01-21T15:48:37Z")
I just said that to Ivy. She looked at me and said “Too bad” ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2023, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-don-t-like-your-tone-of-voice/978570/15 "2023-01-21T15:53:38Z")
I do not like the tone of that pronouncement. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2023, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-don-t-like-your-tone-of-voice/978570/16 "2023-01-21T16:03:47Z")
[![](https://i.imgur.com/gfU2GUi.jpg) ](https://i.imgur.com/gfU2GUi.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2023, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-don-t-like-your-tone-of-voice/978570/17 "2023-01-21T16:05:18Z")
> [@ASL\_v2.0](#): > > But to the subject at bar, for an example of how criticizing someone’s tone can go beyond even mere insult to incredibly hostile see _tone policing_ No criticism intended! I don’t like skiing. I don’t like jumping rope. I don’t like your tone of voice. ---
**Author:** ![saje](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saje/32/3631_2.png) [@saje](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saje)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2023, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-don-t-like-your-tone-of-voice/978570/18 "2023-01-21T16:06:09Z")
If someone did that to me out of the blue, I’d be confused, hurt (I don’t like “jokes” like this) and then angry. I’d think twice about speaking to you again for a while, unless absolutely necessary. Granted, a lot has to do with your own tone of voice and delivery, but if it was said in a sincere, chastising way for no good reason, I’d not be amused. At all. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2023, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-don-t-like-your-tone-of-voice/978570/19 "2023-01-21T16:10:20Z")
I suspect @kayaker does it with a definite twinkle in his eye. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2023, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-don-t-like-your-tone-of-voice/978570/20 "2023-01-21T16:14:36Z")
> [@saje](#): > > a lot has to do with your own tone of voice You don’t _like_ my tone of voice? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-don-t-like-your-tone-of-voice/978570.md?page=2)