I’ve noticed a lot recently a weird vocal tic. The person speaks in the normal tone of voice for most of the sentence, then abruptly changes their pitch upwards at the end. (Think Jo Anne Worley.) Why is this vocal quirk becoming so popular lately? Does it have a proper name? And does it annoy others as much as it annoys me?
That’ll be the Australians?
Always sounding like they are asking a question?
Doesn’t seem to be thing in the UK?
It may habit due to generations of Aussies kids having to ask and answer questions of inept marsupials that watch Timmy fall down a mineshaft without lifting a fucking claw and then have the nerve to come home and tell Billy the cowhand like some fucking furry hero?
Bouncy bastards?
How is this an example of it?
Anyway . . . it’s the “moronic interrogative,” and I think it started with the “Valley Girls” back in the 80s. It’s definitely not something new.
I hate it and won’t listen to it.
When used with the Girl Growl, it’ll stop zombies dead* in their tracks.
*yeah, I know
Better get used to it; it’s spreading. I have no explanation. But languages change and maybe this is an example. Language change usually starts with one person (nuckular) and then spreads to others and takes over.
When I opened this thread I was sure it’d be from at least five years ago. I’m surprised you’re just noticing this now. I’ve always called it “uptalk.” From what I understand, the new vocal quirk is “vocal fry.” Is vocal fry the same thing as “girl growl?” I work with a guy who does the vocal fry and it drives me nuts.
Presumably because you don’t live in a region where it became popular a long time ago.
Pretty much. It must be regional, as I’ve noticed uptalk outside the Valley Girl stereotype speech since the mid-90s or so. There’s even threads on the Dope dating to 2000 mentioning it. How lucky you are to have avoided it for so long. Drives me crazy.
Are we sure the OP is referring to uptalk? The Jo Ann Worley reference would seem to indicate the voice going way up at the end of a statement, like into another octave.
Here is a Kardashian sister parody from SNL which demonstrates both vocal fry and high-rising terminal. http://24wired.tv/20523/kardashian-sisters-parody-on-saturday-night-live-snl69691/
But I’m guessing this is not about high-rising terminal - but rather the thing that happens 58 seconds into this clip when Jo Ann Worley stresses the word “little”"
That’s just using a higher pitch for the word “little.” We associate higher pitches with smaller things.
Do we have better examples?
Ah… I didn’t/don’t know who Jo Ann Worley is. After listening to what’s linked to in the OP, I have no idea. I’ve never noticed anyone doing that kind of operatic embellishment on a word at the end of a sentence (unless they were trying to mimic some sort of funny heavy-metal vocals inflection). That’s certainly different than “uptalk.”
Actually that’s exactly what I was referring to. It’s always done in a comedic manner, and is not really intended to emphasize a specific word in a sentence.
Yeah, got no clue then, as few people I know can do that kind of vocal embellishment.
She became popular as a regular on the first few seasons of Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In, which ran 1967-73. Better known stars from the show are Lily Tomlin (who did a telephone operator character) and Goldie Hawn (who did a dumb blonde character).
I think I know what you’re talking about? I didn’t know it was an Australian trait, though?