# 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:** 3
**Author:** ![robardin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/43a26b/32.png) [@robardin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robardin)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2005, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-annoying-sound-a-human-voice-can-make/317585/41 "2005-08-19T19:40:25Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > I listen to Seasons in the Sun almost every day. I must be training for something. Please stay away from Post Offices, McDonald’s and any other spree-prone locations I might be found in with you. Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2005, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-annoying-sound-a-human-voice-can-make/317585/42 "2005-08-19T20:19:01Z")
Whining. Constant use of the word “like.” And the “uptalk” that **tdn** mentioned. ---
**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, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-annoying-sound-a-human-voice-can-make/317585/43 "2005-08-19T20:20:38Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > 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. Jeepers, I only had to properly comprehend four sentences in your post and managed to get a meaning 180 degrees from what you wrote. Emmm… I was tired? **Feydeau** – you really, _really_ do not want to hear this girl laugh. It’s been about three years and the sound of a horse whinneying still makes me want to curl up like an over-cooked shrimp. ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2005, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-annoying-sound-a-human-voice-can-make/317585/44 "2005-08-19T20:23:25Z")
The noise a coworker of mine makes when she tries to laugh. It is not, by any definition of the word, “laughter”. If you’d like to try it at home, just draw a long, sharp intake of breath as loudly as you possibly can. _Neehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!_ I’d happily place an office ban on any and all things that could be construed as mildly humorous if it’d mean never having to hear that damnable noise again. Unfortunately, she’s easily amused. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2005, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-annoying-sound-a-human-voice-can-make/317585/45 "2005-08-19T20:33:19Z")
Cutesy-ootsey baby talk, à la The Pwincess Pwecious. ---
**Author:** ![Spiff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiff/32/9852_2.png) [@Spiff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiff)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2005, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-annoying-sound-a-human-voice-can-make/317585/46 "2005-08-19T20:52:27Z")
“We need to talk.” ---
**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, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-annoying-sound-a-human-voice-can-make/317585/47 "2005-08-19T20:56:36Z")
> [@danceswithcats](#): > > 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. “Does this dress make me look fat?” ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2005, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-annoying-sound-a-human-voice-can-make/317585/48 "2005-08-19T21:21:35Z")
My sister had a particular whine to her voice which instantly drove everybody hearing it to rage. (I am not exaggerating.) I have no idea how she survived youth. I think that’s my winner for most annoying. Peircing shrieks will instantly shatter all the molecular bonds in my brain, but that’s not the same as annoyance. ---
**Author:** ![dare\_devil007](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@dare\_devil007](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dare_devil007)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2005, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-annoying-sound-a-human-voice-can-make/317585/49 "2005-08-19T21:45:11Z")
Screaming teenage girls, seconded (or thirded?). Makes me want to punch them. And other teenage girls who think they’re being cute by making cat noises like, “mew?”. My friend does this all the time and my fist starts shaking every time she does. Also: babies crying, toddlers throwing tantrums, my parents asking me the same question over and over, my brother’s annoyed grunt (it’s not loud or annoying, but it makes me annoyed because it means that he doesn’t feel like cooperating). ---
**Author:** ![Kozmik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8dc957/32.png) [@Kozmik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kozmik)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2005, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-annoying-sound-a-human-voice-can-make/317585/50 "2005-08-20T00:03:04Z")
_Dumb & Dumber_ already settled this question. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2005, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-annoying-sound-a-human-voice-can-make/317585/51 "2005-08-20T00:05:00Z")
> [@DarkSideoftheFloyd](#): > > “fetch Me My Foot Cream!” Oh god. I read that as " felch Me My Foot Cream!" and about died. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2005, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-annoying-sound-a-human-voice-can-make/317585/52 "2005-08-20T00:31:20Z")
There’s a certain full-throated, raw singing style that makes me cringe. It’s especially bad when it gets into the higher registers and sounds like screeching to me. I’ve heard it in slightly different versions in very different venues: gospel singing, certain Slavic women’s choruses, and the Sistine Chapel choir. > [@Shagnasty](#): > > However, I get an almost uncontrollable urge to punch someone who “sighs” in my presence. It contains elements of self-centeredness, condescension, laziness, and prissiness all rolled up into one little sound. > > \*Please note that I have never hit someone who sighed although I have had to leave the room because someone did it multiple times. That is one hell of a lot of negative emotion to load into a sound so basic that even dogs’ll do it occasionally. Maybe you want to ask yourself why you feel that way. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2005, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-annoying-sound-a-human-voice-can-make/317585/53 "2005-08-20T00:38:23Z")
> [@Spiff](#): > > “We need to talk.” “Whatever you think is best.” ---
**Author:** ![flickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7bcc69/32.png) [@flickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flickster)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2005, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-annoying-sound-a-human-voice-can-make/317585/54 "2005-08-20T00:53:31Z")
> [@danceswithcats](#): > > 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. bingo ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2005, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-annoying-sound-a-human-voice-can-make/317585/55 "2005-08-20T03:39:25Z")
The most annoying _words_, right now, are “If it doesn’t scan, it must be free! Harharharhar!” (And I said in that other thread I couldn’t ever be a serial killer…) The most annoying sound? I feel really horrible and uncaring for saying this, but when somebody coughs and hacks repeatedly in public. It makes me feel so uncomfortable and grossed out, I squirm in my seat and try not to stare. Euuugh, that sound gets on my nerves. ---
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2005, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-annoying-sound-a-human-voice-can-make/317585/56 "2005-08-20T06:32:50Z")
Like _sentence_ Like ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2005, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-annoying-sound-a-human-voice-can-make/317585/57 "2005-08-20T12:50:25Z")
> [@GusNSpot](#): > > Like > _sentence_ > Like Closely related to this is “goes” used to mean “said”: And then she goes XXXXXXXXX and then I go XXXXXXXXXXX, so she goesXXXXXXXXXXXX and then I go XXXXXXXXXXXXX. ---
**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 21, 2005, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-annoying-sound-a-human-voice-can-make/317585/58 "2005-08-21T00:04:14Z")
“And then I go “BAM!” and whack you on the head with a mallet.” ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2005, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-annoying-sound-a-human-voice-can-make/317585/59 "2005-08-21T04:08:31Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > Closely related to this is “goes” used to mean “said”: And then she goes XXXXXXXXX and then I go XXXXXXXXXXX, so she goesXXXXXXXXXXXX and then I go XXXXXXXXXXXXX. Or “And I’m all”…And she’s all…and he’s all…" :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Scissorjack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c67d28/32.png) [@Scissorjack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scissorjack)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2005, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-annoying-sound-a-human-voice-can-make/317585/60 "2005-08-21T05:24:36Z")
Chewing on the telephone. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-annoying-sound-a-human-voice-can-make/317585.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-annoying-sound-a-human-voice-can-make/317585.md?page=4)