What do you sound like?

[jadefirefly]

The only time I was ever told I had a good voice was either when I was sick (when my ex would say my cold made it all "sexy-raspy") or back when I was 16, before I smoked, and was a half-decent singer (by backwoods itty bitty new england town standards).

My voice is always entirely unsuited for whatever it's doing, although on the phone and helping customers it does get higher-pitched and more little girl-ish. I also have that tendency to pick up someone's accent when I spend time around them.

 

[bobsgirl]

I tend to speak precisely and try to use correct grammar. I grew up in the Cleveland area and it never occurred to me that Clevelanders have a specific accent, but after years of living in the southwest part of Ohio, I can hear that they do. Just as down here, some tend to have a bit of southern twang.

One of my daughter's high school friends used to say she needed a dictionary to have a conversation with me.

 

[M's girl]

My first language is not English so does this count then? I think when I speak English it sounds more like American than English. But like Jadefly I pick up accents quick and easy so if you would put me in Australia for one month you would think I was a natural born Aussie, I'm sure...

Although I was born in, and lived in, Amsterdam for a great part of my life people say I speak Dutch without an accent (while real Amsterdam-people have a very recogniseable accent!). In school I was friends with a girl who was born and raised in The Hague (also very particular accent) and within no time (even though our school was not even close to The Hague at that time) I picked up that accent and couldn't get rid of it.

I guess the reason why I sound more American than English is because of TV. We simply hear more American English on radio and TV I guess. Although when I was a PA to a Brit in a Dutch/UK company and spoke English at work 90% of the time, a collegue from the London Office once asked me if she knew me from there and when I was transferred to Amsterdam. That was funny!

My voice sounds kinda young but I hear the other women from Lit say that too a lot. But it's true (and I checked with M). He also says that when I speak French it sounds seductive (free translation of a Dutch word I can't find a better translation for at the moment) but I guess that's the language's fault, haha.

 

[Guest]

 

[bobsgirl]

Oh boy. This is gonna take some thinking and explaining to do. I'll get back on this when I have a little more extra time.

Does your paht of New England also pahk the cah in the yahd? (The accent, of course, not your auto storage space. )

 

[Guest]

 

[EJFan]

Oh, and I tend to speak somewhat fast too, so sometimes my words blend together. I have a hard time speaking with people that talk slowly... I find myself finishing their sentences for them.

OMG! me too. i have an uncle who can't physically speak more than three words in a row without pausing for around an hour. so damned annoying.

 

[Guest]

 

[EJFan]

is this the same one that constantly requires computer support from you?

yup. how'd you guess?

 

[Guest]

 

[EJFan]

don't you sometimes just feel like saying "Spit it out!"

I'm not picking on people from the south in general, but I've worked with a guy from georgia nand another from missouri that lived for many years in houston. these guys are very slow and methodical talkers. Shit, I could go to the store and back before they finish the fucking sentence.

i understand what you mean. and when they finally get to the end of the thought, you've totally forgotten how it started.

 

[Guest]

 

[EJFan]

maybe us east coast people have no patience.

no. we don't. but that's only because we're used to multitasking and accomplishing shit instead of sitting around trying to improve on aunt ellie's lemonade recipe and debating who makes the best fried chicken.

 

[Guest]

 

[EJFan]

now that I think about it, those guys I worked with worked slow too.

fuckin' rednecks do every fuckin' thing slow... except drink cheap ass beer... they swill that shit down like it's going to save the world.

 

[Guest]

 

[EJFan]

you know, a lot of our conversations seem to end up talking about rednecks

there are very few people i can talk (bitch) about them with here... so you and lit tend to get the brunt of it.

 

[Ron54]

What do I sound like? In 500 words or less? I've thought somewhat about what my voice sounds like but being able to put it into words is something I never thought about. I do a lot of talking on the phone for business for many years now and have had a lot of people tell me I have a grate phone voice. Kind of deep but not too deep. I always tell people I have a voice for television and a face for radio. When I hear my own voice on a recording, voice mail etc. it doesn't sound like me to me. Much higher than I think. But I guess that is normal, don't have the resonance of your own skull. I have a grown son who everyone says sounds exactly like me. Have had some interesting experiances with people mistaking us on the phone. When he was in high school a teacher who was a friend of mine called and thought she had me on the phone. She began joking and talking dirty to me as we not unusual, just joking around. My son just handed the phone to me saying it was for me. She was mortified!! After that she had to see my son at school in the hall way and couldn't look him in the eye. Other than that I have no accent since I've lived my entire life in New Jersey.

 

[Guest]

 

[Eilan]

I tend to speak precisely and try to use correct grammar. I grew up in the Cleveland area and it never occurred to me that Clevelanders have a specific accent, but after years of living in the southwest part of Ohio, I can hear that they do. Just as down here, some tend to have a bit of southern twang.

Clevelanders do have a bit of an accent. Apparently I picked up a bit of one when I lived there, but I'm sure I went back to my twangin' ways rather quickly once I moved back to my hometown.

I have relatives living near Fostoria, and they have a distinct accent.

 

[kiwichyck]

Wow it's interesting how you can have so many accents in one country.

People talk about Jaffa (Auckland) accents here, but I can't say I notice them, although I only live a couple hours from there.

The people in the deep south do have a noticeably different accent. There's this thing about the 'southern man', hard as nails, only talk when absolutely necessary, shun all things urban (.......Good on'ya mate, *reaching for another speights, rearranges ankle length oilskin and tips back hat*). They talk slower, and sound a bit more like the aussies. Something to do with the primarily scottish roots down there. I forgive them though, you've gotta make allowances for people that live that close to antarctica. Plus the poor buggers have a 30:1 ratio of men to women (they actually have a annual event where they bus in single women from the nearest cities).

 

[silverwhisper]

kiwichyk: remember, the US is bigger than all of europe, plus some. :>

ed

 

[Munachi]

i sound like a german, i think.

 

[kiwichyck]

kiwichyk: remember, the US is bigger than all of europe, plus some. :>

ed

Yeah I know

It's mind boggling. Our entire population could live in a minor US city.

I freaking hate Auckland, and there's only like a million people there!

 

[pleasteasme]

I sound squeaky, to myself anyway.

I try not to sound like a redneck hick!