# What is the most annoying sound a human voice can make? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 18, 2005, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-annoying-sound-a-human-voice-can-make/317585 "2005-08-18T14:46:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![pinkfreud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pinkfreud/32/17603_2.png) [@pinkfreud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinkfreud)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-annoying-sound-a-human-voice-can-make/317585/21 "2005-08-18T22:57:49Z")
A tantrummy toddler screaming **NO!** at full volume is one of the most annoying sounds a human voice can make. And boy howdy, do some toddlers take advantage of that fact. ---
**Author:** ![zoog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7ea924/32.png) [@zoog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoog)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-annoying-sound-a-human-voice-can-make/317585/22 "2005-08-18T23:27:11Z")
Yoko Ono. 'Nuff said. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-annoying-sound-a-human-voice-can-make/317585/23 "2005-08-18T23:45:10Z")
Hocking a loogie. People on the Metro yammering about business. As a father of three, it pains me to say that that all the screaming and whining gets on my last nerve. But I could listen to them laugh all day. ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2005, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-annoying-sound-a-human-voice-can-make/317585/24 "2005-08-19T00:21:46Z")
It’s really no contest: _Goodbye to you my trusted friend We’ve known each other since we were nine or ten Together we’ve climbed hills and trees Learned of love and ABCs Skinned our hearts and skinned our knees …_ ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2005, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-annoying-sound-a-human-voice-can-make/317585/25 "2005-08-19T00:24:15Z")
> [@Gorsnak](#): > > It’s really no contest: > > _Goodbye to you my trusted friend > We’ve known each other since we were nine or ten > Together we’ve climbed hills and trees > Learned of love and ABCs > Skinned our hearts and skinned our knees > …_ I listen to Seasons in the Sun almost every day. I must be training for something. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2005, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-annoying-sound-a-human-voice-can-make/317585/26 "2005-08-19T00:27:19Z")
Well, if we’re on lyrics, I vote for the “_Woo hoo hoo-oo-oo_” in _Imagine_. My personal hate is souped-up Saxos with silly exhausts seeing if they can go down the hill outside my house faster than their dad’s VW. (The answer - always No.) ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2005, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-annoying-sound-a-human-voice-can-make/317585/27 "2005-08-19T01:22:30Z")
The singing voices of leading ladies in most of the Indian musicals and music videos I’ve seen. For all I know, if I had even the small advantage of understanding the language, it might be the most beautiful music in the world to me. But, as I stand now, it’s like _thrusting a standard screwdriver deep into my ear canal until I hear a “crunch” and an impossible shriek from the nerves of a cochlea so damaged that the my brain thinks the sounds are changing bloody colors!_ there. i feel better now ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2005, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-annoying-sound-a-human-voice-can-make/317585/28 "2005-08-19T01:32:44Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > There are many contenders. A little girls piercing scream Yes, that- especially in toddlers when they can do it for what seems like HOURS and the parents seem deaf to it. Parents- when your toddler is screaming like that- if you can’t make him stop- TAKE HIM OUTSIDE. :mad: ---
**Author:** ![Nic2004](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/4491bb/32.png) [@Nic2004](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nic2004)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2005, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-annoying-sound-a-human-voice-can-make/317585/29 "2005-08-19T01:37:14Z")
“That’s the man, Officer!” ---
**Author:** ![Dark\_Side\_of\_the\_Floyd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bb73d2/32.png) [@Dark\_Side\_of\_the\_Floyd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dark_Side_of_the_Floyd)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2005, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-annoying-sound-a-human-voice-can-make/317585/30 "2005-08-19T01:41:49Z")
“fetch Me My Foot Cream!” ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2005, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-annoying-sound-a-human-voice-can-make/317585/31 "2005-08-19T02:17:24Z")
:eek: I got to vote for the YMCA song. :eek: Aaaaaaahhhhh!!! :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Ashes\_Ashes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/db5fbb/32.png) [@Ashes\_Ashes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ashes_Ashes)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2005, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-annoying-sound-a-human-voice-can-make/317585/32 "2005-08-19T03:07:59Z")
A student who graduated a few years ago had the most horrific laugh imaginable, it cut straight to your everlovin’ last nerve like a buzzsaw through balsa wood. It was a screetching horse laugh combined with a dollop of hyena, repeated over and over again all through the damned day. Heeeeeeeeeeee_yuh_ huh huh whee whee whee, oot oot oot, heeeeeeeeeeee_yuh_ huh huh whee whee whee, oot oot oot… She was incredibly loud-- I’d had classes interrupted by her laughing from clear across campus. Teachers complain about this year’s sophmores, but at least none of them laugh like Meat did. > [@tdn](#): > > Another one that bugs me is the way some people ask questions. When most people ask a question, their voices rise slightly in pitch towards the end. It’s the people whose voice lowers in pitch instead that make me want to punch walls. See the movie _Butterflies Are Free_ for a grating example of this. If we’re thinking of the same thing, I’ve heard it referred to as Up Speak. It’s supposed to be indicative of insecurity, always checking to make sure they’re still being listened to. ---
**Author:** ![Civil\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d78d45/32.png) [@Civil\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Civil_Guy)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2005, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-annoying-sound-a-human-voice-can-make/317585/33 "2005-08-19T03:22:04Z")
I dunno. What **tdn** is talking about sounds like the opposite of up-talk. Never heard such a thing, but there is, alas, much that I have never heard of - thank Og. Up-talk is when people, you know?, end every expression? with a verbal question mark? More than once a year from the same speaker, it is indeed insufferable. Fortunately, the fad has faded, I really hope. Excessive giggling from little girls is pretty bad, but they are little girls after all. Me, I’ve got a co-worker who’s otherwise delightful… but if I hear that damned giggle ONE MORE TIME… okay, calm down. I can handle it. Mostly. ---
**Author:** ![Giant\_Spongess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/94ad74/32.png) [@Giant\_Spongess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giant_Spongess)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2005, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-annoying-sound-a-human-voice-can-make/317585/34 "2005-08-19T03:26:21Z")
Any noise made by children. Screaming teenage girls. It’s a tough choice. ---
**Author:** ![Askia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Askia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askia)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2005, 8:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-annoying-sound-a-human-voice-can-make/317585/35 "2005-08-19T08:53:07Z")
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority’s “Skee Whee.” Worse than a whining ten-year old, nails down a chalkboard, a puppy’s yelp, chewing aluminum and rubbing a balloon combined ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2005, 10:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-annoying-sound-a-human-voice-can-make/317585/36 "2005-08-19T10:52:23Z")
> [@Giant\_Spongess](#): > > Screaming teenage girls. As the lead singer in a band, I can tell you that this is actually kinda nice…the thought behind it, not the sound of it, haha!. Having grown women throw their panties up on stage is even nicer. 😃 But I’ve never been subjected to the non-stop barrage like the early Beatles, Stones, Kinks, et al have. That would’ve sucked big time. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2005, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-annoying-sound-a-human-voice-can-make/317585/37 "2005-08-19T14:39:59Z")
> [@Civil Guy](#): > > I dunno. What **tdn** is talking about sounds like the opposite of up-talk. Yeah, it’s more like down-talk. On the last syllable of a question, the pitch of the voice lowers by about a minor 3rd. It sounds vaguely British. ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2005, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-annoying-sound-a-human-voice-can-make/317585/38 "2005-08-19T19:05:37Z")
As perceived by a male, the most annoying sound you can hear is spoken by a female when she says, “We need to talk.” :eek: If there’s a statement which translates to _Run! Run like you’re being pursued by Satan himself!_ that’s it. ---
**Author:** ![Feydeau](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/df788c/32.png) [@Feydeau](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Feydeau)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2005, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-annoying-sound-a-human-voice-can-make/317585/39 "2005-08-19T19:17:01Z")
> [@Ashes](#): > > A student who graduated a few years ago had the most horrific laugh imaginable, it cut straight to your everlovin’ last nerve like a buzzsaw through balsa wood. It was a screetching horse laugh combined with a dollop of hyena, repeated over and over again all through the damned day. Heeeeeeeeeeee_yuh_ huh huh whee whee whee, oot oot oot, heeeeeeeeeeee_yuh_ huh huh whee whee whee, oot oot oot… She was incredibly loud-- I’d had classes interrupted by her laughing from clear across campus. Teachers complain about this year’s sophmores, but at least none of them laugh like Meat did. Thank Og I’m alone at work today. I couldn’t breathe properly for a couple minutes after reading this. Also, I would pay money to hear an audio file of this laugh. (Yeah, I’m odd that way.) ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2005, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-annoying-sound-a-human-voice-can-make/317585/40 "2005-08-19T19:30:15Z")
The most annoying sound a human voice can make is the silence of parents while their children are running rampant. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-annoying-sound-a-human-voice-can-make/317585.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-annoying-sound-a-human-voice-can-make/317585.md?page=3)