A question to white people around the world. (2013, school)
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I'm Latino, grew up in California, and don't speak that way. I live south of Los Angeles in Orange County though, and I noticed that the the closer I get to L.A., the more I hear that speech pattern. It used to be a valley thing, but it's very common on the west side too.
It's interesting that the OP's experience is from Canada, as ive always considered this a Californian thing.
Where I live alot of people tend to say "literally" alot for example I heard a white guy say "I literally just got of the bus" I find myself doing that too like the other day I said "i literally can't take it anymore" can't remember what I couldn't take but that's not important
Come to think of it alot of people here say "Like" as a filler. Another round these parts is "still" fot example someone would say "I'm still coming, still" or "He didn't even say that, still..." its just dialect...
I'm in my 60's and don't use "like" as a filler. It drives me nuts to hear it but I guess it's more acceptable than to hear young people using the other common filler, that being the F word as every third word in a sentence. I don't know how common that is in other places but it's quite common with youths here and I'd like to shove a bar of soap in their mouthes every time I hear that.
So, no "like" or "F word" for me but lately I've noticed myself speaking with upward rising at the end of my sentences. I think that's because I hear so many other people speaking the same way now I've just picked it up without noticing and now it's become a bad habit.
Quote:
Originally Posted by RudyOD
I'm Latino, grew up in California, and don't speak that way. I live south of Los Angeles in Orange County though, and I noticed that the the closer I get to L.A., the more I hear that speech pattern. It used to be a valley thing, but it's very common on the west side too.
It's interesting that the OP's experience is from Canada, as ive always considered this a Californian thing.
It may have started off as a California thing but California has been an influential trend setter in many ways, especially in Canada, so it doesn't surprise me that these speech patterns have spread to other places. California --> Hollywood movie and tv industry --> sets trends going into everybody's homes and movie theatres everywhere. If people watch tv and movies they end up picking up the new buzz words and speech patterns.
Its not just 20-somethings. You may be watching a documentary and you will often see a male professor or talking head in his 40s who does the annoying up-talking thing, usually accompanied by that sort of gay/valley girl voice/accent which is slowly replacing what is now known as Standard American English.
English language is shifting right before our eyes (or sould I say ears)
Language is indeed shifting but I haven't seen anyone older than say 30 speak like this. On TV, in real life, anywhere.
Its not just 20-somethings. You may be watching a documentary and you will often see a male professor or talking head in his 40s who does the annoying up-talking thing, usually accompanied by that sort of gay/valley girl voice/accent which is slowly replacing what is now known as Standard American English.
English language is shifting right before our eyes (or sould I say ears)
Another thing I observe is how every sentence ends with an upward swing. I can't put it into words right here but I googled it and it is an actual phenomenon. It is called up talk.
If I could take a guess I'd say 80 percent of young women speak in this manner and perhaps 50 percent of young men. Everywhere in Canada(observed it in many cities).
How and when did this phenomenon happen. It couldn't be much older than the 2000s because either young people of the 90s got rid of it when they entered the work place and real world or they never had it on campus then.
What do you think? And does it annoy you or you do not mind.
It started in the 80s but really became more prevalent in the 90s. I think it's something people outgrow, I definitely know that teenagers in the 90s talked like that as well and they would be in their 30s and 40s now.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.