WTF is up with Vicky Becks' voice?

[LiterallyOnFire]

Does she think no one will notice?

m.youtube.com/shorts/RTtfRmjm9s8

Only me then.

What am I missing OP? 🤔

What is it about her voice that people will notice?

I've watched the clip and can't work out what is wrong with her voice.

It's a different accent isn't it? She didn't used to sound anything like that.

I don't notice anything different?

Vicky becks 😂 she'll love that!

I think she's just talking softer.

Maybe she's been to finishing school?

TBF, it gets more pronounced as the clip goes on.

Yes!!! That's exactly what it sounds like.

But why? What has she got to prove to anyone at 50?

Nothing wrong with it. Sounds ok to me.
Not like some women who seem to introduce an affectation of crockiness or gravelliness into their throat.

I think she's speaking to an American and speaking clearly with less of an accent but it's not really that different than normal. She's had a whole different set of life experiences since she was in the Spice Girls. Lived in America, Spain so 🤷🏼‍♀️

Peoples accents often change, depending on who they’re spending time around and how long for. I don’t think many people tend to have the exact same accent their whole lives unless they never move or socialise with anyone outside of their immediate area.

Sounds to me like a more pronounced vocal fry (maybe mirroring the other woman) and also like she might have new braces or something. I can’t notice any difference accent wise.

Really?

I've played it a couple of time and by the end she is sounding aristocratic.

TBF I probably haven't heard her speaking voice too often.

Sounds a bit wanky to say this on a chat forum but anyway, I am a linguist (PhD). It’s really normal for accents to change over time and depending on the audience. Even the late queen’s accent changed (also William and Harry). She does sound like she’s speaking ‘carefully’ and Gerri Halliwell does this too. That’s because her identity and audience have changed a bit.

OP, I bet if you listened to a recording of yourself 20 years ago you’d be surprised, or if you listened to yourself in different social situations eg. with your mum at home, at an interview etc. It’s a myth that any of us has one authentic voice.

I’d also question your implication that VB is only allowed to speak in one way, the one way that matches how YOU want to see her.

Good grief, you swerved from professional linguist to psychotherapist at the end there.

I have never noticed adults changing accents much over say 25 myself, but I'm sure you know your subject and the personal branding/ audience point makes sense.

I hope Dave isn't being mean to her, though. I didn't see their documentary, but I saw the viral clip of him saying I ding her up about class. I hope that was just lighthearted ribbing and not poking her sensitivities.

I think (I might be imagining it) that Kylie sounds much more english and has lost some of her ozzie accent over the years - I presume because she has spent a lot of time in the UK.

Someone in my family moved to Australia decades ago and they definitely have a slight Australian accent now

Listen to the late Queen speaking in 1952 and then in the years before she died. There's a very interesting article and recording tracking it that I often use with my students.

Her accent is unrecognisable.

My accent has changed over the years since moving around. My daughter's accent has changed in the two years since she's been away at university.

If you watch the David Beckham documentary on Netflix, his accent changed as well.

Unless you have never moved from your home town, and only associated with the same people you associated with in your childhood, everyone's voice changes in some way.

Technically- because we subconsciously mimic what sounds are around us.
Sociolinguistically- we want to fit in with the group around us. That's why people's voices can get posher, or in the case of HRH, less so.

William and Kate are also examples. Her voice got posher with age- his got less so. Hers was a result of elocution lessons (probably) and a desire to fit in with the family she married into. His is now much less posh than hers, because he's got a solid position within the hierarchy and doesn't need to prove himself to them. But he does to the crowds. So he's been trained to speak like them.

It's fascinating.

Vicky Becks?! You mean Victoria Beckham?

My accent has definitely changed over the last 25 years.

I moved from an area where received pronunciation was the norm, to another part of the country with a much stronger accent.

My everyday voice now contains inflections and influences from my new home area.

Interestingly, when I return to my previous area, or speak to family and friends from there, my voice modulates back a little.

However, particularly when I'm teaching young children from my new area, my accent/inflections more closely match theirs, particularly if I'm teaching phonics.

I sound nothing like I did when I was younger. My accent has modified over time from a broad Fife accent to slightly posh Scottish accent (but I can bring back the Fife if I need to!).

That does sound interesting. Do you have the link or title?

I've thought more about accents in the last hour than I ever have before.

I do.

Then why not use her actual name?