Help identifying an accent?

[zmgmeister.livejournal.com]

Has anybody heard a particular accent where the speaker seems to go breathless and their voice cracks at the end of the word, especially certain consonants? It seems to be mainly women in their 20s and early 30s, and seems to be an affected, "trendy" accent. A few years back it seemed to be everywhere; every TV commercial trying to sell to this demographic was using it.

If you've seen the movie Fever Pitch, you know what i'm talking about. Drew Barrymore's character had this accent, and Jimmy Fallon commented that she was talking out the side of her mouth.

PS. Why ask this in Davis? There are people here who speak this way, and it tends to stick out like a sore thumb. Perhaps some resident linguist can explain. Why not ask this in B0st0n? Dont want to scroll through a snarkfest.

Comments

[sarah-raz.livejournal.com]

Ah, yes, The NY Observer - always good for some lazy misogyny masquerading as clever snark!

[krystynayt.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I was trying hard not to react to the sexism and the not-so-subtle mockery of stereotypically "feminine" speech, but the language change aspect is interesting nonetheless. If you take out the part where they concentrate on females, it is really quite vindicating for people who don't talk in a stereotypical, "ideal", "masculine" speech.

[sarah-raz.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that's the thing. There's actually a really interesting sociological story in there about gendered speech. You could even make an argument about how, as women become more and more successful, society expects women to act more and more like girls.

But instead the punk with the byline furthered this trivialization of successful women.

[enochs-fable.livejournal.com]

It's interesting. I find that it tends to trail off in women passing their late twenties, and a lot of young guys have similar habits (at least as far as the ums, likes, and certain sounds). I find it makes it harder to concentrate on the substance of what they're saying, and makes them sound less intelligent. FWIW, I had to train myself out of a few of these habits, because I was undermining myself in social and professional situations where clear direct speech was important.

[abilouise.livejournal.com]

Yeah. Seriously. I loooove the part where they describe what the girls are WEARING, because it is so relevant!

[sarah-raz.livejournal.com]

Right. And how the tone of voice is particulary useful for getting stuff out of daddy!