# Voices in my head **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 31, 2001, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/voices-in-my-head/74288 "2001-07-31T00:23:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Nen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Nen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nen)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2001, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/voices-in-my-head/74288/1 "2001-07-31T00:23:10Z")
Okay, I’ve got a poll for the teeming millions. Please forgive my passion for linguistics. I’m trying to ascertain whether or not the processes of reading (written language) and speaking/hearing (vocal/auditory language) are distinct. I am aware tha t spoken traditions far exceeded the presence of writting tradition, but I would like to discern whether or not these capacities are correlative or intertwined. I have noticed that whenever I read, a voice accompanies the words which I read. Is this phenomenon indicative of the populus? Do you hear a voice in you mind when you read? Is the voice yours? Please bear in mind that I am not referencing extraneous voices resultant from various “deviant” mental occurences. What is the word, my friends? ---
**Author:** ![Tabeitha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b3f665/32.png) [@Tabeitha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tabeitha)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2001, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/voices-in-my-head/74288/2 "2001-07-31T01:09:47Z")
When I read I tend to give a voice to the words. For instance if I know the author or character is an old man I put an old man’s voice to the words as I am reading them. If I do not know who the author is I tend to hear my own voice but it changes to fit how I think the author/character might sound. Does this make any sense? ---
**Author:** ![Sultan\_Kinkari](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7bcc69/32.png) [@Sultan\_Kinkari](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sultan_Kinkari)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2001, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/voices-in-my-head/74288/3 "2001-07-31T01:12:49Z")
Usually the voice I hear is my own, when I consciously recognize it, that is. Otherwise I don’t even notice it, and when reading fiction, I usually imagine the person speaking in the voice of however they were described. One of the main characters in a book I am reading has taken on the characteristics of Chelsea Clinton, no matter how hard I try to expell her from my mind. Oh well. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![flyboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/4da419/32.png) [@flyboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flyboy)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2001, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/voices-in-my-head/74288/4 "2001-07-31T03:23:36Z")
I hear my own voice (at least, how I perceive it to sound) for non-dialogue parts of books. It’s the same voice I think with, if you know what I mean. For the dialogue or thoughts of characters, I always associate the character with an actor and use his/her voice. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2001, 9:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/voices-in-my-head/74288/5 "2001-07-31T09:10:05Z")
The voice in my head is much cooler than mine. And deeper. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_Wright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@Steve\_Wright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_Wright)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2001, 9:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/voices-in-my-head/74288/6 "2001-07-31T09:23:12Z")
Inasmuch as I hear a voice at all, it’s pretty much neutral. Which means, I suppose, that if it were externalized, it would sound more or less like me. ---
**Author:** ![Francesca](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9fc348/32.png) [@Francesca](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Francesca)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2001, 10:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/voices-in-my-head/74288/7 "2001-07-31T10:35:19Z")
I definitely “hear” what I’m reading. I usually hear my own voice but if a character is particularly strong, they may develop their own voice. Fran ---
**Author:** ![bagkitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7ab992/32.png) [@bagkitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bagkitty)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2001, 11:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/voices-in-my-head/74288/8 "2001-07-31T11:04:04Z")
Printed words are symbols, it takes an effort to make a sound out of them. \Exceptions being books written in “dialect” - Ian Rankin or Iain Banks always generate a little voice with a distinct Scots burr… and Russel Hoban’s Ridley Walker has a demonic voice all of its own (picture a 14 year old on speed). ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2001, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/voices-in-my-head/74288/9 "2001-07-31T11:39:38Z")
actually i read to myself in my mind so its my voice although once in a while ill make up a voice for thecharacter ---
**Author:** ![Jane\_D\_oh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/839c29/32.png) [@Jane\_D\_oh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jane_D_oh)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2001, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/voices-in-my-head/74288/10 "2001-07-31T13:32:58Z")
I’m worried now. I read a lot and I hear no voice, EVER, when I read. I just read and process, I guess. Oh, well, one more thing to worry about. ---
**Author:** ![TheNerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/858c86/32.png) [@TheNerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheNerd)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2001, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/voices-in-my-head/74288/11 "2001-07-31T13:46:28Z")
I’m with you, Jane. No voices from reading. ---
**Author:** ![slortar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@slortar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slortar)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2001, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/voices-in-my-head/74288/12 "2001-07-31T17:59:15Z")
If I’m reading for fun, I vocalize. If I’m skimming for information (homework, for example) I just absorb. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2001, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/voices-in-my-head/74288/13 "2001-07-31T18:02:19Z")
Put me down as one who doesn’t hear any voices while reading. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2001, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/voices-in-my-head/74288/14 "2001-07-31T18:15:23Z")
The voices in my head keep telling me that “the guilty must pay”. As of yet, they haven’t told me who is guilty or how they must pay, so I just drown them out with beer. I do hear my voice in my head when I read.