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Discussion » Questions » Communication » Why do Millenials like talk with an upswing so it sounds like everything is a question?

Why do Millenials like talk with an upswing so it sounds like everything is a question?

#TotallyMillenial

Posted - July 5, 2016

Responses


  • 53490
    Like, I know, right?

    :)
      July 5, 2016 8:54 AM MDT
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  • I think of that as more of a young female thing than a millennial thing. 

      July 5, 2016 10:16 AM MDT
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  • 2
    I am thinking I agree with Nevan. Some girls do speak with more of a vocal range and some higher pitches too (we all can imagine those voices). I wonder if this is an evolutionary thing or just naturally arouses other female attention to the the high pitched variation of sounds... I think it's interesting and also irritating when you think about it haha
      July 5, 2016 11:56 AM MDT
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  • 3934

    Linguists call this phenomenon High Rising Terminal and it is not unique to Millenials.

    When I was doing research about Valley Girls and "Valleyspeak" (which emerged in the early 1980s as a confluence of several linguistic trends from the 1970s or earlier), I found one of the major characteristics of Val Speak was the High Rising Terminal. Moreover, I found reports suggesting it is quite common in Australia and, having the phenomon brought to my attention, I started noticing how common it is among Hawaii residents, particularly those with major exposure to Pidgin (Hawaii Creole English).

    I don't recall any definitive explanation for why the High Rising Terminal emerges. One hypothesis I do recall is that the rising terminal is a way of "softening" declarative statements and inviting response even if the response is not entirely in agreement.

      July 5, 2016 12:12 PM MDT
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  • 1029

    It's an effect of weed use. 

      July 5, 2016 12:51 PM MDT
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  • I saw "Valleyspeak"and now I can't get that

    damn song out of my head...Moon Unit Zappa if I remember

    correctly..

      July 6, 2016 1:13 AM MDT
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  • 3934

    Yes,

    What my research suggested was Frank Zappa wrote the song NOT so much to make fun of how "Valley Girls" spoke, but to lampoon the shallow self-absorbed materialistic mindset of teenage girls in the more affluent areas of the San Fernando Valley, who happened (at that time) to reliably use "Valleyspeak."

    If M.U. Zappa's friends/acquaintances had said things like, "Oh my GOD! That President Reagan is, like, totally too confrontational with the Soviet Union. He needs to, like, chill out and adopt a more accommodating posture, fer sure...", Frank Zappa likely never would have written the song.

      July 6, 2016 1:32 AM MDT
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  • 46117

    Those are Valley Millenials.   Their parents were Gen Xer's.

      July 6, 2016 1:40 AM MDT
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  • 46117

    Fer Sure Fer SURE!!!!?

      July 6, 2016 1:43 AM MDT
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  • After more than 30 years of smoking weed, I can assure you this is not the case.  :)

      July 6, 2016 5:22 AM MDT
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  • Nope. They all do it.

      July 6, 2016 5:22 AM MDT
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  • 46117

    fer sure fer sure,  I mean, like I still remember my 5th grade teacher's phone number from the 60's man.  Euclid 3 - 0255.

    And I never even called the woman.  That is how smert I am with all that weed up in me stored in my rotted shell of a carcass, that once-brilliant mind of mine.  It permanently disabled me.  And I thank God for it every day.

    I don't even smoke any more because I forgot to.  I am stone-free.    Actually, as you can see, stoners are/were brilliant people.  We are none the worse for wear, trust me.  Not burnt out yet.

      July 6, 2016 1:04 PM MDT
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