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Related to the GA drone, I just noticed missionaries also tend to have a unique speech pattern. It's difficult to explain in writing of course, but it seems like they emphasize their last couple words by raising their pitch. Also, they slip into this speech pattern when they are teaching or otherwise saying something scripted. When they're just BSing they sound normal. Does anyone else know what I'm talking about. I never went on a mission, so I'm wondering if this type of speech pattern is taught in the MTC, or if it's just nervousness from trying to stay on script.

SatanWasSetUp wrote:Related to the GA drone, I just noticed missionaries also tend to have a unique speech pattern. It's difficult to explain in writing of course, but it seems like they emphasize their last couple words by raising their pitch. Also, they slip into this speech pattern when they are teaching or otherwise saying something scripted. When they're just BSing they sound normal. Does anyone else know what I'm talking about. I never went on a mission, so I'm wondering if this type of speech pattern is taught in the MTC, or if it's just nervousness from trying to stay on script.

Sort of like the news broadcasting pattern where the tone goes down and they elongate the last 2 words of the sentence?

Edited to add: I know that whenever I had to give a talk in Sacrament, I would go into a sort of GA conference talk mode.

I associate that slight upswing at the end of statements to be a sign that the person speaking is unsure of themselves. The upswing of the voice is commonly associated, in American English anyway, with asking a question, so it's natural that someone making a statement, but swinging their voice up at the end as if it were a question, is giving off a sign of not being very comfortable speaking, or very certain.

Also, it's annoying as hell when people speak that way.

I'm told I sound like a stand-up comedian while giving talks.....not sure how to take that.

The Nehor wrote:I'm told I sound like a stand-up comedian while giving talks.....not sure how to take that.

poor public speaking?

;)

The Nehor wrote:I'm told I sound like a stand-up comedian while giving talks.....not sure how to take that.

As long as it's not Rodney Dangerfield...

"I get no respect...the other day, I was blessing the sacrament and the water turned to....water."

Ok, so my stand up career is in about the same place as Nehor's....

Scottie wrote:

The Nehor wrote:I'm told I sound like a stand-up comedian while giving talks.....not sure how to take that.

As long as it's not Rodney Dangerfield...

"I get no respect...the other day, I was blessing the sacrament and the water turned to....water."

Ok, so my stand up career is in about the same place as Nehor's....

My talks tend towards the ridiculous comparisons while focusing on very practical things. Some say I'm funny, others say I'm annoying.

Its a kind of built in Linguistic condescension. Almost as if the Missionaries speak from behind a desk, acting like a Macdonald's manager evaluating the drive through attendant. Its cheap, arrogant language used to corral submissive personalities into a confidence game.

Its a cultural method of language used to denote authority. A crutch employed by english speaking Mormon youth, even in other languages.

unlinguistically sound example of
Its bREATh controlll and learning to pause...at THE right momenT within tIme

(capitalization added for emphasis, spoken in punctuated slow cadence)

Is it a hypnosis method? Maybe as much as television commercials are perhaps. I believe this behavior is cultural and is a method to speak as if you are telling someone the most important thing they will ever hear while preparing them for rigid fundamentalist views that are socially awkward.

Your Dad pulled you aside alot as a child didn't he Merc....... I can see you've reflected on this quite a bit.

Gazelam wrote:Your Dad pulled you aside alot as a child didn't he Merc....... I can see you've reflected on this quite a bit.

Huh?