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<<<I haven't heard the “creaky voice†episode yet, but I clicked on the link to the original story and listened to examples. Evidently, I have “creaky voice.†I don't do it on purpose, so the idea that it's some kind of intentional affectation doesn't ring true for me. As a native Californian, raised by native Californians, I don't have any connection to Washington. So where did I get my “creak?â€
I had to laugh at the mi-oove and ri-uude vowel-fronting Californiaism. I'm TOTALLY guilty as charged on that one.
What about “wanna†and “gonna†and “kinda†are those Lazy-California-Speak too? Or is that common everywhere?<<<
Kelly, welcome! I don't think it's limited to Washington State -- I've heard it here in SoCal for sure. Clearly, you're going to have to call the show with a question so we can see (well, hear) for ourselves. 🙂
>>>There's another good “creaky voice†example in a YouTube video posted by Google, touting their Chrome browser. The woman does it all the way through, and very much as described by the caller who brought up the topic: she starts out each sentence pretty normally, but as she nears the end, she gets creaky.<<<
Thanks for this, ChuckW. I'd be very curious to hear how she sounds in everyday conversation.
Grant and Martha,
I am trying to hear this creaky voice thing and I don't think I'm picking it up but I am wondering if it is the same thing as a phenomena that I have noticed. It seems to be very prevalent, but not certainly not limited only to, most public radio stations.
The radio announcers, present company excluded, seem to trail off greatly in volume. Not necessarily getting creaky, but very soft. I've even heard the guest, half way through an interview begin to take on this characteristic speech of the announcer or emcee of the show.
I cannot tell you how many times I've wanted to beat the radio when I heard something like this:
YES. THAT RECIPE HAS A Secret Ingredient. and that secret ingredien...
And they just tail off in volume. And it always seems that the words that are so tacit that a mouse couldn't hear them are the most important. Very frustrating.
I just heard on Science Magazine's podcast that ScienceNow's top story for 2011 was a study by scientists at Long Island University (LIU) in Brookville, New York on "vocal fry," which I'm pretty sure is the creaky voice discussed in this episode. The findings are quite interesting. Anyway, here it is for those interested. Cheers 
Like many others who posted, I am so glad that other people recognize creaky voice! I can't describe how much it irritates me - I have to switch channels or stations when someone starts talking that way, and being forced to listen to creaking in a meeting, for example, is absolute torture.
Everything I've read about creaky voice says that it's used by women to sound more authoritative, i.e., more like male voices. I couldn't disagree more strongly! In almost every instance, it seems to be considered sexy or seductive. Nothing wrong with being sexy, but it's hardly the way to appear more authoritative. I cringe when I hear professional women speaking that way; it seems like a denial or debasement of their knowledge and abilities. For that reason I think it's more similar to prefacing every sentence with a giggle, or speaking in baby-talk, instead of forthrightly stating one's opinion.
Interesting- they have removed that clip. It could be because it was getting outdated. Or somebody there was reading about “creaky voice.â€
I still would like to hear some samples if you have some (that is incidental, not deliberately done for demonstration.)
A most unusual public voice is Diane Rehm's, all scratchy and strenuously deliberate (due to a diagnosed defect). Yet it has become a sort of trademark of hers, a positive quality. So if people like the content of the speech, they probably will like whatever manner of delivery too.
So very late to the party, but I have been catching up on the pod casts.
My favorite euphemism for having to take a bathroom break is, "visiting the hollyhocks". My room-mate and I are Civil War Re-enactors (Re-enactorixes? since we are both female) and the proper, lady-like query for directions to the privy was asking to see the hollyhocks as the fragrant flowers were planted around the privy to block the odor.
Love the show Grant and Martha, now back to catching up...
Martha Barnette
Grant Barrett
Grant Barrett
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