Discussion Forum—A Way with Words, a fun radio show and podcast about language

It's time to spin your spin instructor! If he's the one insisting that there is a word for it, the burden of proof is on him! In such situations I challenge the person to a bet, for some small amount like ten dollars, or lunch or dinner. If he's so unsure that he's not willing to put his money where his mouth is, then he loses the right to "insist." And, if he is right and there is a word for it, the ten dollars you lose is well spent because you learn something, making it a win-win in my book!

Of course, now that you've posted the question here, Grant or Martha will surely know the answer.

I always thought that when people speak in dramatic fashion, "sounding out the words," it is called opera. 🙂 

I think maybe you're not quite hitting the nail on the head, Matt. I think OP was referring to the "Daddy sang base, Momma sang tenor" phenomenon. (Old country song where a male bass sings "Daddy sang base", and a tenor (maybe even the same singer, I can't remember, it's been years) sings, in tenor of course, "Momma sang tenor".)