Vocal fry. Why?

[WeAreOnTheRoadToNowhere]

I've just been listening to R4 and almost turned off. I could hardly bare to listen to the woman talking as her vocal fry was so pronounced
I've noticed some men do the same but far more young women. Is it subconscious or a deliberate attempt to sound more, I'm not sure what thb

Ah, @banivani's (excellent) video answers my question about whether it's a US-specific thing (spoiler alert: it's not).

As an aside, the British chap with the clip about socks and blisters sounds like he hosts a truly fascinating channel 😏😬 Do people really spend their time watching this shite?

It’s not new/American/confined to women. Listen to the King’s Christmas broadcast- absolutely full of vocal fry.

I think people just find it annoying when it’s done by young women for some reason.

Watch Made in Chelsea, some of the women do it in that. Very annoying.

Get some WD40 on that annoying ,dry as dust old coffin lid creaking.

Jane's Patisserie on Tik Tok is an example in an English accent. I love her recipes but struggle to tolerate the way she speaks.

The kardashians do it. Kourtney first, then Kim. It became more and more obvious as the seasons progressed. They didn’t start off talking like that….or not as bad anyway.

I work with a man who has the most incredible vocal fry I just want him to have a good cough

Lots of Australian women do it too. It's a ridiculously affected way to speak. NO ONE speaks like that naturally.

Awful trend.

What do you mean it isn't natural. How do you think they're making the sound?

Let me introduce you to this gem. I’m always going around saying “Beatricccccce, Eugggeeeeenieee” 🤣

m.youtube.com/watch?v=M07dbv0Xkt0&pp=ygUdd2luZHNvcnMgYmVhdHJpY2UgYW5kIGV1Z2VuaWU%3D

It really irritates me too.

I think I read somewhere that Sumaya on the last BakeOff series was an example of vocal fry.

My friend's daughter did it when she started in her lecturing post some years ago, probably to make her voice sound deeper and more authoritative.

It was very irritating but she doesn't seem to do it now, not in general conversation anyway. I don't know about work.

She also started al lot of sentences with 'So' which was also annoying!

Totally agree, it's so awful to listen to, it's like a lazy groan

Cringe

It's a choice to "put it on"

Yes this entirely. They've heard it on social media and are now copying it as their 'regular voice'.

Some of the clips in this video are so funny. Thank you for posting this.

I suspect no more a choice than any other code switching - i.e. very much subconscious. I also guarantee that you have a vocal tic of some form that irritates others. Best to be tolerant don't you think?

There's an ad for hello fresh that does my head in. 'Is hello fresh worth the prrrice?' It's that creaky sound that characterises vocal fry, not necessarily in a low register

It’s not something people do naturally. They train themselves to do it, and after a while it probably does become subconscious. It’s an affectation, and there is no need to “be tolerant” of affectations, because the users of them have a choice.

I always think of it as something women do to sound sexy and laid back, as the vocal fry part of the sentence sounds almost like they’re falling asleep. It’s really annoying.

No - I don't have to watch (normally rubbish fake docusoap type) programmes with these type of people in.

I don't like crusty eyelashes either, should I be made to be tolerant of those as well?

Has anyone found any examples of non-LA people speaking this way?

I’ve seen it with men. Here’s Alex Honnold. I assumed it was a kind of ‘I’m so relaxed I can’t be bothered to speak properly’ LA thing

It’s so bloody awfuuuuuuuuuul, it gives me the raaaaaaaaaage 😡🤬😡🤬😡