# Voices In Your Head



## Apple Ice (Jul 20, 2014)

It may surprise you to learn that you all actually sound like a 20 year old monotone English guy. Well, a few of you I have allocated a particular voice which I think you would sound like in real life, to amuse me if nothing else. 

So considering we all have our internal voice with which we read everything, I thought it might be quite fun to hear a description of how you all actually talk. Like, accent, pitch etc.

I'll start. I've been told my voice is too low for how I look, I don't really understand how but fair enough. I have a 70% common southern English accent and 30% Yorkshire accent. Those stats are a rough approximation, btw.

So, hows about you?


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## Pidgeon84 (Jul 20, 2014)

My voice isn't super macho but much more than I would obviously like (I'm working that). My inner monolog's vocabulary is much more extensive than what actually comes out of my mouth, so I suppose you're correct in saying that I write like a 20 year old English man. Though I would certainly hope it doesn't come off as monotone. No real accent though, unless homosexual is an accent.


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## Apple Ice (Jul 20, 2014)

Just in case there's been a misunderstanding, I said sound, not write, although you could write like one too I suppose. As for monotone, it's just how I read things, it's nothing to do with how you speak on here or anything. I read entire books like that too. Well it says you're from Colorado and the only people from there I know are the South Park gang. You will sound like Kyle from now on.


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## Plasticweld (Jul 20, 2014)

Apple I have loud, " hard of hearing" voice, a deep laugh, that I am told can be heard from a long distance away.  I am often surprised at remarks made about the way I talk.  I think I am a naturally, patience and sweet old guy.  I have heard one too many times how you don't want to piss me off and someone should never want to be on the wrong side of  me.  I know I have a certain intensity about the way I speak but for the life of me, I am always amazed that I would come off as a hard ass.  I like to think of myself as a good old country boy, who has a smile and demeanor that made you feel comfortable right away.   Maybe I just need to work on my verbal communication skills :}



Seeing as I wrote you as a character in one of my stories. You have a crisp English accent, you are short with your words, each sentence reeks of sarcasm, you do however say far more with your eyes, most of it disapprovingly or with some measure of distain.   When asked a question, Apple paused in a measured silence, wrinkling his lip in disgust he gave her a very curt and resounding "No" followed by a lecture as to why it was not possible.


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## dale (Jul 20, 2014)

me...hammered at a book signing. i hate my voice, which is why i chose to be so hammered at the public speaking thing....

[video=youtube;YQ84Vg9YAhc]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQ84Vg9YAhc[/video]


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## Plasticweld (Jul 20, 2014)

Dale thanks for sharing, too bad we could not get the reader to use some of that great punctuation that the writer had intended to be used when he crafted the piece.


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## Schrody (Jul 20, 2014)

I have a deeper voice (no, I don't sound like a guy), it's not girly at all  My inner voice is... the way I talk. If I'm speaking English it's mostly an American accent (if you can't call that an accent), okay, I struggle with some words, but I sound nothing like a Russian guy


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## dale (Jul 20, 2014)

Plasticweld said:


> Dale thanks for sharing, too bad we could not get the reader to use some of that great punctuation that the writer had intended to be used when he crafted the piece.


 lol. that's reading in grade school monotone. plus i really need glasses to read and didn't have any.


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## Pidgeon84 (Jul 20, 2014)

Apple Ice said:


> Just in case there's been a misunderstanding, I said sound, not write, although you could write like one too I suppose. As for monotone, it's just how I read things, it's nothing to do with how you speak on here or anything. I read entire books like that too. Well it says you're from Colorado and the only people from there I know are the South Park gang. You will sound like Kyle from now on.



Lmao at least it's not cartman.


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## Apple Ice (Jul 20, 2014)

It's scary how well you seem to know me, Plastic. I do go out of my way to be overly nice to everyone, although that tends to lessen the more I get to know a person. Well, at least you won't have people trying to cross you if that's an impression you give out. Nice until crossed is always good, particularly seeing as you're in business. And a good laugh is always good to have, when I really start laughing I sound like a cackling witch or a hysterical school girl.

dale, the Southern US accents is one of the best going in my opinion so you are a lucky shite to have it, I think.

Schrody, you will always be a Russian man to me now


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## Apple Ice (Jul 20, 2014)

Pidgeon84 said:


> Lmao at least it's not cartman.



Haha, well the two only homosexual people on there aren't exactly flattering and I sincerely doubt you would sound like either of them anyway. I was once told I reminded someone of Cartman and to this day it's the most insulted I've ever been


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## Pidgeon84 (Jul 20, 2014)

Lmao TBH I'm probably a lot closer to Big Gay Al than kyle :rofl:


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## Schrody (Jul 20, 2014)

Apple Ice said:


> Schrody, you will always be a Russian man to me now



I no Russian man. Drink vodka. Good for you, yes?


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## Schrody (Jul 20, 2014)

Pidgeon84 said:


> Lmao TBH I'm probably a lot closer to Big Gay Al than kyle :rofl:



At least you don't sound like Mr. Slave


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## Pidgeon84 (Jul 20, 2014)

Lol well I would hope I don't sound like anybody on South Park :lol:


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## InstituteMan (Jul 20, 2014)

My voice is . . . weird.  I am told that I have a "speaker's voice," but I am not sure what that really means. My voice isn't particularly deep or sonorous, but it does confuse people.

I had a profound speech impediment when I was little, which required years of speech therapy to be able to be understandable when I speak. I was a good study and one of the poster children for the process, ultimately winning many high school speaking contests in the small and secluded part of the world where I grew up (I am not sure that means I give a good speech, but I am at least intelligible now).

The thing is, all of those years of speech therapy have left me with the tendency to be a bit of a sponge for accents and such, although rarely intentionally. 

I grew up with an Ozark hillbilly accent, which is NOT a southern accent. If you can find the Beverly Hillbillies on YouTube (or are old enough to remember it), I sound a bit like Jed, especially when I am talking with hill folk, or just have been around them a bit. 

On the other hand, I also lived in the Boston area for a few years, so sometimes I sound like someone from New England. I also spent a few years in the southwest, so while I don't speak much Spanish I picked up a slight touch of a Mexican style accent for some purposes (I have accidentally made wait staff think I spoke Spanish ordering at Mexican restaurant before). 

Now I have lived many years in the Kansas City area, so I have absorbed that accent mostly. I gather the KC sound is what is taught as the generic American accent for newscasters and such. 

So, the way I sound changes depending upon who I am talking with and what I am talking about. Under some circumstances you would think that I am a hillbilly, in others a New Englander, and sometimes a generic middle American. At other times, those sounds all get jumbled up together. When our second daughter was born, the nurses actually had a bet over where I was from, because they found my accent peculiar and hard to place (one bet on "Europe" which is a rather large place).

I fear none of that really answers the question, so just read my posts in a voice that sounds like James Earl Jones -- that would be fun.


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## Pluralized (Jul 20, 2014)

I'm unintentionally aware of people's accents. In the past year, I've traveled to Boston, Michigan, Oregon, Vegas, Texas, Florida, and Missouri, and interacted with all manner of country folk in each. Grew up in Wyoming, so my accent is sort of like -- dude. I live in Georgia, so I'm surrounded by southern accents and hear the drippiest of them on a daily basis. I try really hard to maintain my enunciation around these folk, which helps me think before I speak. Valuable, that.

Suppose I sound like the *guy who did Garfield's voice.* Never really thought about it before. What a strange way to procrastinate when I should be writing.


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## patskywriter (Jul 20, 2014)

I suppose I have an "alto" voice—not high and not low. Sort of in the middle. I guess you'd say that I speak standard, midwestern English, although I enjoy speaking "black" English and some slangy, though polite, "souf side" English one can hear in certain innercity neighborhoods in Chicago. I'm also soft-spoken, which means people interrupt me alot.


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## Morkonan (Jul 20, 2014)

I have a somewhat deep voice, medium Southern accent, but very good diction and grammar. I have a "radio voice" and people like listening to it for some reason... /shrug

Topical note: There's a viral vid going around with a guy with a split uvula. Well, I have one as well, but mine is huge... I also have a huge set of vocal chords. According to one ENT, I've got big parts, uvula, vocal chords, blah blah... Biggest uvula he'd ever seen. (Yeah, works as a great party opener...) So, all of that contributes to the tonal quality of my voice. It's not tremendously deep, but it resonates very well. I have no problem making myself heard, if I wish, without "raising my voice." I just increase the resonance a bit and that's all that's necessary.

(PS- My voice isn't all that special, I don't think. But, others have told me it was, so I decided to mention it for funsies. Plus, the split uvula thing is topical.)


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## Pluralized (Jul 20, 2014)

Morkonan said:


> Super large uvula



Pics or it didn't happen.   

Uvula - that's the *other* dangly thing in the back of your throat, right? *ba-dum tschhhhhhhh* 

I was sort of hoping this thread would take on more of a uvula-talk progression. I just tried to look at mine in the mirror - it's fairly big. Maybe seven or eight, I dunno.


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## Ariel (Jul 20, 2014)

I'm from Kansas City, grew up in the inner city and it really shows when I get angry.  (I do this odd head bobbing thing from side to side and my index finger shakes at people).  I also had a speech impediement as a kid (had speech classes for three/four years) that comes out when I'm excited, drunk, or angry.  I'm naturally soft spoken and generally a little taciturn until I'm comfortable.  As for accent, Instituteman had it right in that it's very neutral except, of course, when my speech impediment kicks in.


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## stormageddon (Jul 20, 2014)

I have a weird accent, and I apply it to all of you. When I was little I had a posh London accent (the stereotypical British accent) with hints of the Inverness accent (think Karen Gillan) I picked up off my mum. Lost the Scottish more as I aged, and got posher and posher until I reached the Benedict Cumberbatch stage.

Then I dropped out of school for a year, and had a lot less human contact than usual. That meant my accent reverted to its natural, unadulterated state, which as it turns out, is not-quite-posh London as a base, with a hint of Lincolnshire, Inverness and cockney (the latter being the greatest mystery).

Now that I have been reintegrated into society, I have largely kept that. Only if I'm talking to posh people, I get a bit posher (unless I don't like them, in which case I instinctively go cockney) and if I'm nervous, I go very northern. My brain-voice retains that accent, but ages depending on whose posts I'm reading, and adopts different tones. Sometimes tones of wisdom, sometimes of mockery or derision. It also changes gender.

For example, InstituteMan, you sound a calm, wise, kindly older man to my mind - a younger Dumbledore. Plasticweld, you're the same, but with a hint of Universal Overlord to you. If LeeC were here, I'd inform him he sounds a lot like Stephen Fry. Schrody, you sound a cheerful young upstart, with a lot of depth behind your words. Pluralized, you sound charmingly manic to my ear, which helps when reading your stories. Amsawtell and Patskywriter, you are the calm voices of wisdom, even when nothing wise is issuing from your virtual mouths. Pidg, you sound the same as my best mate in her texts - a welcome presence, but an unnerving one, always two steps ahead and ready to put me in my place should the need arise (I know you're lovely really). Dale, you're one of the ones who always sound like you're mocking something, even if it's only yourself. As a Brit, I approve.

Apple and Mork, you're just slightly nerdier, more masculine versions of my personal brain voice, which disturbs me. And on that note, I am returning to Skyrim~


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## BobtailCon (Jul 21, 2014)

I would say I have a lower pitched voice for my age. I'm from Washington, so I have a standard American (or, Old English) accent.


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## Pandora (Jul 21, 2014)

I'm originally from WisCONsin, loving snOw and cOws. My accent has held the couple decades I've lived in Atlanta, I have picked up the slang here though. Love returning to Milwaukee, love a man with a Midwest accent, literally. When we travel people think I am from Canada, close, no cigar. I have a small voice, soft, yes sweet, I get the "Honey, is your Mom there" a lot when I answer the phone, though I avoid the phone quite well and usually say 'nope she's not' . . . technically not a lie. 

I love voices, I momentarily close my eyes when people speak to not be distracted, to take it in. Eyes the window to our souls, our voices, our spirit. In my office I listen to those who come in without seeing them, I really like that. This is an awesome thread to hear people's voices. Thanks Apple Ice!


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## Schrody (Jul 21, 2014)

Morkonan said:


> I have a somewhat deep voice, medium Southern accent, but very good diction and grammar. I have a "radio voice" and people like listening to it for some reason... /shrug
> 
> Topical note: There's a viral vid going around with a guy with a split uvula. Well, I have one as well, but mine is huge... I also have a huge set of vocal chords. According to one ENT, I've got big parts, uvula, vocal chords, blah blah... Biggest uvula he'd ever seen. (Yeah, works as a great party opener...) So, all of that contributes to the tonal quality of my voice. It's not tremendously deep, but it resonates very well. I have no problem making myself heard, if I wish, without "raising my voice." I just increase the resonance a bit and that's all that's necessary.
> 
> (PS- My voice isn't all that special, I don't think. But, others have told me it was, so I decided to mention it for funsies. Plus, the split uvula thing is topical.)



Everything's big with you, huh? :lol: Sorry, I had to #-o



stormageddon said:


> Dale, you're one of the ones who always sound like you're mocking something, even if it's only yourself. As a Brit, I approve.



Yeah, he does sound like that :lol:


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## InstituteMan (Jul 21, 2014)

amsawtell said:


> I'm from Kansas City, grew up in the inner city and it really shows when I get angry.  (*I do this odd head bobbing thing from side to side and my index finger shakes at people*).  I also had a speech impediement as a kid (had speech classes for three/four years) that comes out when I'm excited, drunk, or angry.  I'm naturally soft spoken and generally a little taciturn until I'm comfortable.  As for accent, Instituteman had it right in that it's very neutral except, of course, when my speech impediment kicks in.



A friend I used to work with did the head bobbing/finger wagging thing when she was angry. She was from St. Joseph, which is pretty much the inner city of KC that was relocated a bit to the north as far as I can tell.

BTW, speech impediments suck. We were fortunate to get them improved while young.


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## Bishop (Jul 21, 2014)

My voice is higher pitched than I'd like, but not overly so. I'm not really sure how I sound... there's no celebrity to compare it to, no archetypal voice. It's a little roguish, but definitely not overly manly. I'm St. Louisian, so it's a very neutral mid-western dialect.

As for the voice in my head? When I think about anything, it's usually in my own voice... but I'm trying very, very hard to alter that. Before long, everything I think will be in the voices of Morgan Freeman, James Earl Jones, Patrick Stewart, and Malcolm McDowell. It'll just be the four of them, sitting on the set of a sports broadcasting booth, narrating and commenting on my life.


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## dale (Jul 21, 2014)

Bishop said:


> My voice is higher pitched than I'd like, but not overly so. I'm not really sure how I sound... there's no celebrity to compare it to, no archetypal voice. It's a little roguish, but definitely not overly manly. I'm St. Louisian, so it's a very neutral mid-western dialect.
> 
> As for the voice in my head? When I think about anything, it's usually in my own voice... but I'm trying very, very hard to alter that. Before long, everything I think will be in the voices of Morgan Freeman, James Earl Jones, Patrick Stewart, and Malcolm McDowell. It'll just be the four of them, sitting on the set of a sports broadcasting booth, narrating and commenting on my life.



but do you hear the same voice others hear when you talk? i don't. i don't know if this is just me being weird, as usual...but when i'm talking?
i hear the same voice i had when i was 12 years old. i'm 45, but i still HEAR that same young ass voice. that's why i cringe when i hear myself
on a recording. i'm like...."who the hell is that guy?"


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## Bishop (Jul 21, 2014)

dale said:


> but do you hear the same voice others hear when you talk? i don't. i don't know if this is just me being weird, as usual...but when i'm talking?
> i hear the same voice i had when i was 12 years old. i'm 45, but i still HEAR that same young ass voice. that's why i cringe when i hear myself
> on a recording. i'm like...."who the hell is that guy?"



I've actually recorded and heard my own voice a lot. I guess I hear a mixture of my own voice that I hear when I speak to others, and my own voice when I hear myself in a recording; kinda a hybrid.

And sometimes it's Kurt Russell's voice.


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## Morkonan (Jul 21, 2014)

Schrody said:


> Everything's big with you, huh? :lol: Sorry, I had to #-o..



S'okay... 

/sheepish

I told a friend of mine about this thread and what I had written. He still hasn't let up on me, yet... Oh well, time cures all embarrassments. (Unless your friends have uniquely good memories.  )


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## Schrody (Jul 22, 2014)

Morkonan said:


> S'okay...
> 
> /sheepish
> 
> I told a friend of mine about this thread and what I had written. He still hasn't let up on me, yet... Oh well, time cures all embarrassments. (Unless your friends have uniquely good memories.  )



Luckily for you, you do have friends (us) who have a good memory, and who'll remind you of your embarrassing texts. That's what friends are for, right?


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## CyberWar (Jul 23, 2014)

Well, normally I don't talk much at all, being much better at expressing myself in writing than in speech, so the lot of you folks can think of me as the silent guy with a blank expression who rarely utters more than three words in a sentence, and only then if absolutely necessary, preferring to pass notes for communication instead.

On those rare occasions I'd open my mouth to speak rather than to insert a food item, a cigarette or to spit something out, you would hear a fairly quiet voice of slightly lower-than-average pitch, speaking either my native tongue or English with a non-descript Eastern European accent.

While I can speak quite loud and, surprisingly, even sing, I just don't enjoy using my vocal cords much.


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## Schrody (Jul 23, 2014)

We people from Eastern Europa, we no accents. We speek very clear, very good. Yes, like Ameriken. 













:mrgreen:


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## CyberWar (Jul 23, 2014)

That actually looked more like poor grammar than bad accent   As far as I know, my grammar is fine. Or at least the foreigners I've spoken to were simply too polite to tell me otherwise.


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## Schrody (Jul 23, 2014)

CyberWar said:


> That actually looked more like poor grammar than bad accent   As far as I know, my grammar is fine. Or at least the foreigners I've spoken to were simply too polite to tell me otherwise.



Well, how I'm gonna express the bad accent (here) if not with the bad grammar?  Anyway, a lot of people I spoke with said I speak English well.


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## CyberWar (Jul 23, 2014)

Bad grammar iz no vay of shoving Istern Yuropeen akksent, it makez yu zound like sum Middl-Istern tyerrorist svoloch, not propr Istern Yuropeen. 

If my English exam results were to be believed, I speak English better than many native speakers.

But I suppose that's true in many cases. Whenever people learn a language, they obviously learn the proper grammar and speech, and consequently may come to speak it better than many native speakers, who, it being their native tongue, don't bother much to study and use it's proper forms because they speak it every day. I suppose language is much like riding a bike - once you learn it, you don't usually pay much attention to how you ride it, you just do. Even while there are techniques that improve your biking efficiency and speed, you only really pay attention to them if you cycle for sport rather than just to get around.

I figure that's the reason why even native speakers have commended my English.


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## Schrody (Jul 23, 2014)

Oh no, I didn't say I have an Eastern European accent, I'm just making fun of it 

I agree with your post, my thoughts exactly.


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## CyberWar (Jul 23, 2014)

Because it is quite funny accent indeed.

The way a lot of my countrymen speak English sounds really annoying, because they tend to place stresses the opposite way to proper English. I really hope I don't sound like that.

But then again, since I already mentioned I don't speak much at all, I figure that shouldn't be a problem anyway.


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## Schrody (Jul 23, 2014)

A lot of people speak like that in Croatia too  

I must show you this, it's one of our politician "speaking" English XD

[video=youtube;5orzjNKvIq4]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5orzjNKvIq4[/video]

Nobody understands her :mrgreen:


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## CyberWar (Jul 23, 2014)

Yeah, some years ago, a politician of ours became nationally (in)famous for his "Nassing speshl" among other remarks in terrible English. The idiot could have at least had the decency to hire a translator for talks with foreign politicians. But I guess a lot of politicians with poor English just don't want to appear incompetent by speaking through a translator, even when quite the opposite usually happens.


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## Morkonan (Jul 23, 2014)

Schrody said:


> A lot of people speak like that in Croatia too
> 
> I must show you this, it's one of our politician "speaking" English XD
> 
> ...



That's because she's speaking English'uh. 

 But, congratulations to her! I couldn't speak her language properly on a bet, I bet.


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## Schrody (Jul 24, 2014)

CyberWar said:


> Yeah, some years ago, a politician of ours became nationally (in)famous for his "Nassing speshl" among other remarks in terrible English. The idiot could have at least had the decency to hire a translator for talks with foreign politicians. But I guess a lot of politicians with poor English just don't want to appear incompetent by speaking through a translator, even when quite the opposite usually happens.



Where are you from, anyway? If I may ask  

Yep, we have a lot of politicians like that  Either way, she lost a job in the European Parliament because of her incompetence (and bad English) 



Morkonan said:


> That's because she's speaking English'uh.
> 
> But, congratulations to her! I couldn't speak her language properly on a bet, I bet.



Some say Croatian is a difficult language to learn, but I think it's because of an accent.


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## Apple Ice (Jul 24, 2014)

That's the third time someone over the internet has referred to me as "nerdy." I told my cousin this and he said "Sometimes you get a bit like Hugh Grant when you speak and I guess that can come across as a bit nerdy." I've been told before by my best friend I inadvertently turn in to Hugh Grant (just without the posh accent) particularly when speaking to attractive girls I don't know. But how I come across as nerdy over the internet is confusing to me. I don't think of myself as a nerdy person and I don't think I am in real life, either. But you know, three people can't be wrong. Learn something about myself everyday.

Pandora, I have a particular voice for you and from what you've described about your voice, I think I'm dead right with it. 

It's interesting hearing what you lot have to say about your voices. Morkonan having a mild southern accent was unexpected to me, for example. Thanks for contributing, everyone.


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## Ethan (Jul 24, 2014)

I guess my voice is deep, I sing baritone so that sort of gives tonality, and I speak with a Northern Irish accent although I haven't lived there for more than twenty five years. Some people lose their accent or it softens, but I'm told mine didn't. It causes me occasional problems with poetry as Ulster pronounced words can be clipped and often lose syllables, which completely cocks up the meter.


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## Pandora (Jul 24, 2014)

Nothing like a baritone.


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## Ariel (Jul 24, 2014)

I would have never guessed you have difficulty with meter, Ethan.  I'm so beyond jealous of the control you have over your poems.  They always display excellent craftsmanship.


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## bazz cargo (Jul 25, 2014)

Enigmatic....


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## bookmasta (Jul 25, 2014)

Schrody said:


> A lot of people speak like that in Croatia too
> 
> I must show you this, it's one of our politician "speaking" English XD
> 
> ...




USA! USA! USA!


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## Schrody (Jul 25, 2014)

We're avr (aware)... :mrgreen:


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## Gofa (Jul 25, 2014)

I have a Nuu Zee Lund accent. I've done work in USA and find people stare at my lips in an effort to further understand. The omg luv your accent was pretty common  For business I record a lot of interviews so hear myself later. A deeper radio voice I guess and you won't find me on South Park. I've been told that my voice has a pleasant effect on women so maybe I have a heterosexual accent


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## PiP (Jul 25, 2014)

I've been told by my friends that my voice/humour is a cross between Jo Brand and  Joanna Lumley. I'm not sure I agree but then others see and hear us differently. I don't have a regional accent although my vocabulary is 'flavoured' with the odd Irish cuss word and moonrakers/cockney slang thrown in for good measure.


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