View Full Version : Questioning tonality??
My parents live in 7 miles south of Heathrow airport as I did until 10 years ago. When I go back to visit now I notice that its very common to hear people talking with questioning tonality - you know when people end sentences on a high note like they are asking a question.
Why do they do this? You never hear TV presenters or news readers doing it and it is taboo in the business community so why has it become so common?[?][?][?]
linda allen
30-01-2005, 01:36
I know what you mean, why do they do it. I think it is only a recent thing, I used to live in Eton and Datchet up till 1998 and can't remember people talking like that then.
I live there or here or whatever it is, Hillingdon, and I haven't noticed it?
Kaz
I hate people who do that toooo?
Kaz
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by KJH
I live there or here or whatever it is, Hillingdon, and I haven't noticed it?
Kaz
I hate people who do that toooo?
Kaz
[/quote]
Mum and Dad are in Sunbury-on-Thames[msnwink]
floridadreamvilla.co.uk
30-01-2005, 01:59
I notice it more and more every time I go to the south?
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by floridadreamvilla.co.uk
I notice it more and more every time I go to the south?
[/quote]
Part of our business is to Pitching to Win / Presentations Skills Training, often pople don't realise they do it until they see themselves on video tape - red faces all round[V]
LiesaAnna
30-01-2005, 02:31
am not aware of doing it, so hope i dont! [chatter]
chunkichik
30-01-2005, 03:19
I come from Harpenden, mostly stuck up people who don't speak to you anyway!!!!!! I now live in Luton and have never noticed it!!!!!!
But now you've mentioned it, perhaps we will all start to notice[msnsmile2]
Nostromo
30-01-2005, 03:21
The hillbillies in the Blue Mountains area always talk like that. For example "I am John Smith?" or "I want to go to the bathroom?" and so on.
I think it started when Neighbours and Home and Away first aired over here. We visited our friends in Perth a few years ago and everyone seems to do it there.
floridadreamvilla.co.uk
30-01-2005, 13:01
I have to admit it's one of my pet hates and drives me nuts when I hear it?
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Fletch
I think it started when Neighbours and Home and Away first aired over here. We visited our friends in Perth a few years ago and everyone seems to do it there.
[/quote]
Ray&Sarah
30-01-2005, 13:11
I hadn't noticed but am bound to now that you've mentioned it!![msnwink][msnsmile2]
We have an English friend who now lives in Toronto, but for 10 years before that she lived in Hong Kong and she does so much its awful!!![msnscared]
floridadreamvilla.co.uk
30-01-2005, 13:19
A friend here started to do it a while ago and after a few people asked him why he was doing he soon stopped?? He had not realised he was doing it either??
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by lal
We have an English friend who now lives in Toronto, but for 10 years before that she lived in Hong Kong and she does so much its awful!!![msnscared]
[/quote]
melvazquez
30-01-2005, 15:03
I'm in Warwickshire and it's not something the adults do. But my kids and their friends all do it!!!
It really annoys me too but hope it's just a fad. Think maybe it's not![msnsad]
mel
my sister lives in worcester and has spoke like that for years and also my friend who now lives in new zealand has started to...i find it irritating:(
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by melvazquez
I'm in Warwickshire and it's not something the adults do. But my kids and their friends all do it!!!
It really annoys me too but hope it's just a fad. Think maybe it's not![msnsad]
mel
[/quote]
A good cure is everytime they do it say something like.........I don't know are you asking me a question??? They soon get the hint - its really taboo in interviews too if they are coming up to that age[msnwink]
John Rocke
30-01-2005, 16:07
too much australian soaps.
jr
sunseeker
30-01-2005, 16:26
its an ozzie thing. a friend of mine moved to cairns a few years ago, he does it all the time. its probably more noticeable in the south due to the large amounts of australians working in the pubs.
Dave
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by floridadreamvilla.co.uk
I have to admit it's one of my pet hates and drives me nuts when I hear it?
[/quote]
Good job you don't live up / (down?) here in Newcastle then John!!
Moved here 35 years ago from Yorkshire and I'm still getting used to the variety of local accents.:D:D:D
Along with the dubious Aussi pronounciation we have the disappearing T. Drives me absolutely mad and I am continuously picking my daughters up on this. They keep telling me that no-one talks posh like me nowadays or else you sound a prat. Nice to know what £10K a year each in school fees has produced.[msnmad]
And having survived 40 (yes 40[msnsad]) 16yr old teenagers for a party in our house on Friday night (still clearing up since you ask, although they did do most of it themselves)I find this is totally untrue as most of them spoke very clearly and without dropping their Ts. We won't mention the adjective beginning with f that they ALL seem to find it necessary to use:(. Can you imagine speaking like that in front of parents, my father would have had our guts for garters, Chris was on door duty so didn't hear it, just me as chief cook and bottle washer had the pleasure of listening to it.
Oop 'ere in Lankie land they say 'T' but leave out the rest of the word! As in some place names 'Hall i' th' Wood' or Besses o' th' Barn' (yes, they are place names, honest!) or in every day speech like 'I were goin' t' go t' shops'.
Place names that you thought you knew how to pronounce, turn out to be 'summat else' like Bolton is pronouced Bowton (as in bow wow), Darwin is pronounced Darren (isn't it Tezz?). Poor Mum, after 75 years of living 'down south' has great problems, especially on the telephone.
Nostromo
30-01-2005, 18:27
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by floridadreamvilla.co.uk
I have to admit it's one of my pet hates and drives me nuts when I hear it?
[/quote]
[laugh][laugh][laugh] That's a good one?
floridadreamvilla.co.uk
30-01-2005, 20:27
LOL - was waiting for someone to spot it ???
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Nostromo
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by floridadreamvilla.co.uk
I have to admit it's one of my pet hates and drives me nuts when I hear it?
[/quote]
[laugh][laugh][laugh] That's a good one?
[/quote]
My pet hate is 'would of' instead of 'would have'. Its not only young people who do that either. Chloe
How about the use of the word 'like'? It seems to be, like, creeping in everywhere, no matter what people are, like, talking about?
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Chloe
My pet hate is 'would of' instead of 'would have'. Its not only young people who do that either. Chloe
[/quote]
I think its due to lower standards of English taught in schools - they don't always correct spelling in case they de motivate students!!! Mind you my spelling is awful LOL!!
Lots of people seem to be 'fed up of' something instead of being correctly 'fed up with' something.
There are lots of 'you know' (sometimes joined up with the 'like') as in... 'Well, like, you know, we went to the movie and then we, er, like, you know, went to the pub'.
Hey, are all of us grammar critics perfect? :D :D
I like the way a lot of Americans start every sentence with 'you know what'! LOL!!
I make lots of mistakes with grammar but my husband is really hot on it and always corrects me, thank goodness he is not on the OV!!:D
ringwood1
31-01-2005, 03:03
I spent 1 year in Australia and came back with the intonation at the end of a sentence so I think it must be an Aussie thing.
Nostromo
31-01-2005, 11:10
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by ringwood1
I spent 1 year in Australia and came back with the intonation at the end of a sentence so I think it must be an Aussie thing.
[/quote]
I quite like the Aussie way of talking, especially their cheery "G'Day!" greeting. Mind you, most days in Australia are good, compared with the UK.
MaggieAllan
31-01-2005, 11:52
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by lal
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Chloe
My pet hate is 'would of' instead of 'would have'. Its not only young people who do that either. Chloe
[/quote]
I think its due to lower standards of English taught in schools - they don't always correct spelling in case they de motivate students!!! Mind you my spelling is awful LOL!!
[/quote]
Now that is a pet hate of mine...none correction of spelling. I cannot understand the thinking behind the decision to leave spelling mistakes unmarked, and believe that this also gives the impression that the teachers do not know how to spell either. It is much more demotivating to never get an interview because your application is strewn with spelling mistakes and bad grammar, than to be shown the correct way at achool. No offense meant to the good teachers out there of which there are many.
Newhomebuyer
31-01-2005, 12:54
The way in which children spell does matter and is part of the literacy hour. End of Key Stage 1 and 2 SAT's have papers devoted to testing spelling. Many children do not take their weekly spellings home and parents think that the school is not bothering.
Parents may have seen some work in which the spelling has not been corrected. Teachers cannot always correct everything, on every paper, which every child has written in their class, every day. They will often mark the part of the work which pertains to the objective of the lesson to check that that child has understood that particular objective. It does not mean that they are not teaching and/or encouraging children to spell correctly.
Teachers make many grammatical errors and errors in spelling, (especially on message boards) but it does not mean that they do not care about spelling.
That sounded like a rant but I do just want to put your minds at rest as well as stick up for teachers.[msnsmile2]
LiesaAnna
31-01-2005, 13:08
well my daughters teacher corrects Laurens! and is a darling! never spoke to her before Lauren had her from sept, and is year 4, Lauren gets upset when they have a supply teacher who 2 weeks ago was really rude to Lauren, it affected her the whole weekend as this happened on a friday, spoke nicely to the child in front then very rude to her, she knows the difference and kept asking why this woman treated her so differently! i'll ask her next time she there!
Lauren is a polite well mannered child in school and as the eldest of 6 and the oldest in class (2nd sept) is a bit above the others in many subjects! but spellings are terrible! dont know why?
ringwood1
31-01-2005, 14:11
Both my children have spelling tests each week and we spend a lot of time helping them learn them. I think it must depend on the school as we are very lucky with ours.
I also hate the phrase "you know what I mean" being added to the end of a sentance.
E. Cosgrove
31-01-2005, 15:24
I moved from Lancashire/Cheshire area to Wiltshire 20 years ago, when I go home they think my kids "speak posh" anyway, I digress. I used to work nights on the maternity unit and one evening 2 ladies who I had been speaking to the previous night( that was in the days before they kicked you out after 24hours[msnwink])called me over and asked me where I came from, I replied Manchester ( no one's ever heard of Stalybridge!) "See I told you" said one "No you didn't" said the other, "you said she came from Coronation Street"!!!!![msneek] <blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by blott
Oop 'ere in Lankie land they say 'T' but leave out the rest of the word! As in some place names 'Hall i' th' Wood' or Besses o' th' Barn' (yes, they are place names, honest!) or in every day speech like 'I were goin' t' go t' shops'.
Place names that you thought you knew how to pronounce, turn out to be 'summat else' like Bolton is pronouced Bowton (as in bow wow), Darwin is pronounced Darren (isn't it Tezz?). Poor Mum, after 75 years of living 'down south' has great problems, especially on the telephone.
[/quote]
Nostromo
31-01-2005, 15:25
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by SG
I also hate the phrase "you know what I mean" being added to the end of a sentance.
[/quote]
I know what you mean.:D. But seriously, when it is added to the end of sentences, it usually indicates a bit of simple-mindedness at worst and lack of confidence at best. A certain British boxer, well known for the latter problem, always used that phrase at the end of every sentence.
E. Cosgrove
31-01-2005, 15:30
And look what happened to him!!![msnoo]<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Nostromo
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by SG
I also hate the phrase "you know what I mean" being added to the end of a sentance.
[/quote]
I know what you mean.:D. But seriously, when it is added to the end of sentences, it usually indicates a bit of simple-mindedness at worst and lack of confidence at best. A certain British boxer, well known for the latter problem, always used that phrase at the end of every sentence.
[/quote]
pt cruiser
31-01-2005, 15:42
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by chunkichik
I come from Harpenden, mostly stuck up people who don't speak to you anyway!!!!!! I now live in Luton and have never noticed it!!!!!!
But now you've mentioned it, perhaps we will all start to notice[msnsmile2]
[/quote]
Ahhh another one from the cr****t town in England!! See you around.
Teresa
melvazquez
31-01-2005, 15:46
Like I can't believe u lot r like that! Like 4 instance dosit really matter how you like speak or like write down stuff at skool.
It never did me no arm. U no wot i mean?
I finkits sooooooo unfare
like just chill out and relax man cos u lot no nufing u shud just take it easy like wot i do.[msntongue]
c ya
mel
Nostromo
31-01-2005, 17:06
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by pt cruiser
[i]
Ahhh another one from the cr****t town in England!! See you around.
Teresa
Luton? It's not that bad. A poll a few years ago officially gave that title to Middlesborough.
chrizzy100
31-01-2005, 17:30
If you're worried about your kids spelling...NEVER move to the USA.....I can't understand anything my son writes.....but he was getting an A in English.....I asked his English teacher about it....and she said...if he is getting the point across.....spelling is not important.......
I came from Bristol............so I say Bath with an F.......[msnsmile2]
My 7 y/o goes to a very traditional Prep school and fortunately spelling is given high priority!!
Good job as I am hopeless!! You had already noticed though Im sure LOL!! [msnscared]
julieanne
31-01-2005, 17:44
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Nostromo
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by pt cruiser
[i]
Ahhh another one from the cr****t town in England!! See you around.
Teresa
Luton? It's not that bad. <span style="color:red">A poll a few years ago officially gave that title to Middlesborough.</span id="red">
[/quote]
I work in Middlesbrough (I'm there right now :() and I wouldn't disgree with that at all...