The unstoppable march of the upward inflection?

[PaxVobiscum]

A BBC has a magazine article on this oddity today. I wonder have many people on this forum are aware of it (do young people actually speak to each other at all these days? ) and to what extent people find it irritating. I will confess to being just mildly irritated on occasion, but have too many other concerns in my mission to be upset by unjustifiable deviation from accepted spelling, grammar and speech patterns (eg "different to" "different than" ) to bother too much about it.

Whether it's called the upward inflection, high-rising terminal or simply "uptalk", the habit of making statements sound like questions is a genuine linguistic mystery, writes Chris Stokel-Walker.

The habit of ending statements with a stress that makes them sound a bit like questions is one that winds many people up.

Surveys have suggested bosses dislike it. Stephen Fry admitted on the TV show Room 101 that he hated it. Numerous older people have picked up numerous younger people on their use of it.

 

[Arglwydd Golau]

I know that this isn't the cricket thread, but anyone who listened to Alastair Cook after the Lords debacle against India will have noticed that he too was a culprit in his post-match interview, was that due to stress? After the victories at Southampton and Old Trafford he appeared to be cured!

 

[reb0118]

Is this a form of strine. I believe our convict, sorry colonial, cousins are prone to this affectation.

 

[Minilad]

This is annoying. But not half as annoying as the current need to add "like" at least seven times in every sentence.

 

[IanXC]

This has long been something which has annoyed me immensely! Although I must admit it has recently been eclipsed on the list by "off of". I would say its laziness, but given its longer than "from" I have to conclude its just stupidity!

 

[Railsigns]

Something I became acutely aware of while watching the last series of "The Apprentice" is a tendency amongst some young women, who perhaps consider themselves to be quite sophisticated, to pronounce the last syllable of everything they say with a sort of guttural "croak". Has anyone else noticed this?

 

[muddythefish]

Like many things detrimental to this country, such as bad behaviour on the cricket field, weak tasteless lager, and appalling soap operas, the inflection seems to have been imported from Australia. I hope it leaves on a one-way ticket on the next convict ship.

 

[LowLevel]

It's irritating but so is a lot of stuff

I await the view of Mr Paul Sidorczuk with interest!!

 

[90019]

Is this a form of strine. I believe our convict, sorry colonial, cousins are prone to this affectation.

It's the Australian Question Intonation.

 

[Abpj17]

I slipped into it the first year I was at uni - when I was mixing mostly with people from the Midlands. It went away again later though!

 

[Strat-tastic]

Although I must admit it has recently been eclipsed on the list by "off of".

I am like literally hating that one too lol innit omg

 

[Yew]

I occasionally use it when not asking a question, but making a statement that I'm not entirely sure of the accuracy of.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

It's irritating but so is a lot of stuff

I await the view of Mr Paul Sidorczuk with interest!!

My long-held views as the Grammar Gruppenfuhrer of the RailUK website on the intonational faux pas of those in the media industry should be well known upon this forum. Somewhat strange that one with a Slavonic historical background should be so critical of these people who are supposed to have a command of such matters.

 

[Don2912]

This is annoying. But not half as annoying as the current need to add "like" at least seven times in every sentence.

Have to agree there.
Although today, while travelling on public transport, there was a small group of girls chatting; said conversation was punctuated by copious quantities of "likes" and almost every sentence uttered by all three of them had an upward inflection.

Fortunately, they got off after about half a dozen stops...

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

This is annoying. But not half as annoying as the current need to add "like" at least seven times in every sentence.

I used to like to watch Steven Gerrard being interviwed to see how many times he would use his favourite word...erm

 

[underbank]

This is annoying. But not half as annoying as the current need to add "like" at least seven times in every sentence.

Or the way it seems everyone answers a question starting with "So......" Listen to the radio and it's an epidemic - no-one being interviewed can answer without saying "So...." first. Drives me insane!

 

[90sWereBetter]

"Walks into thread"

Argh, prescriptivists everywhere!

 

[90019]

Or the way it seems everyone answers a question starting with "So......" Listen to the radio and it's an epidemic - no-one being interviewed can answer without saying "So...." first. Drives me insane!

You are Susie Dent, AICMFP.

 

[GatwickDepress]

"Walks into thread"

Argh, prescriptivists everywhere!

I don't think anyone here even works in a chemists!

 

[Strat-tastic]

You are Susie Dent, AICMFP.

WOEDTM? :?

SPASL :roll:

 

[90019]

WOEDTM? :?

And I claim my five pounds.

 

[Strat-tastic]

and i claim my five pounds.

fp? Waro

 

[chorleyjeff]

I used to like to watch Steven Gerrard being interviwed to see how many times he would use his favourite word...erm

Sports speak is rich source of interesting language.
My current most disliked phrase is "back to back", instead of "consecutively". I was first conscious of the phrase when used by golf commentators but it seems to have spread far and wide in the broadcasting world.
Cheers
Jeff

 

[90019]

Sports speak is rich source of interesting language.

At the end of the day?

 

[Strat-tastic]

Early doors!

 

[fowler9]

I used to like to watch Steven Gerrard being interviwed to see how many times he would use his favourite word...erm

Robbie Fowler enjoyed using word.