How do you talk?

Specter Von Baren

Annoying Green Gadfly
Legacy
Aug 25, 2013
5,632
2,849
118
I don't know, send help!
Country
USA
Gender
Cuttlefish
How do you speak in real life versus online? Do you talk differently depending on the situation or who you're talking to?

I just had this thought about how I have a weird way of speaking where I switch between a very polite manner of speech with a wide vocabulary and a very casual "twang" way of speaking with a lot of "ya"s and "dunno"s and such and wondering if that's weird. I'm not deliberately changing how I speak in a conscious way but it's like I need to speak with a different lingo depending on how I feel.
 

Hawki

Elite Member
Legacy
Mar 4, 2014
9,651
2,173
118
Country
Australia
Gender
Male
That isn't the easiest thing to answer, but I'll try.

-My accent's weird. My dad's British, my mum's Kiwi, and I'm Australian, and my accent kind of fluctuates between the three, or at least, it sounds different to different people. E.g. Australians will think I'm British, Brits think I'm Australian, etc. When I've heard my own voice, when I'm speaking, I'd say I sound more British, but if I hear it recorded, it sounds more Aussie. Occassionally, people have thought I'm a Kiwi, but while I can say that NZ definitely has an accent, it's hard for me to define exactly how that accent sounds in relation to others.

-If we're talking about how I speak in real life, it also varies. I mean, obviously I need to be more formal at work than elsewhere, but I guess...this is going to sound high and mighty, but I have a tendency to use phrases/expressions that aren't always to the point, or best used for people for whom English is a second language (which is extremely common where I work). More than once, I've been instructed to use more simple language. And don't get me wrong, that's a good direction given the circumstances, but basically, unless I'm talking to fellow staff members, how I have to speak at work is far different from how I usually am.

-More casual settings, far more willing to use slang, make jokes (you've probably noticed the no. of puns I've made here), make curses, etc., but I think in this area still got more 'poshness' than what we might call "bogans" here. Never been one for a "shrimp on the barbie" or any of that. That stereotype is real, and I meet a fair no. of people like that in real life, but generally, more likely to say "twat" or "bollocks" rather than more...creative curses, for instance. Far quieter, don't have any tattoos, prefer to avoid confrontation, etc. Probably also compounded by definitely being an introvert. Basically, far less direct than a lot of other people, in general. Fine talking with friends, but the friends I've kept in touch with from school are far closer to my own personality than away from it.

Make of that what you will.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Specter Von Baren

Thaluikhain

Elite Member
Legacy
Jan 16, 2010
18,580
3,536
118
I just had this thought about how I have a weird way of speaking where I switch between a very polite manner of speech with a wide vocabulary and a very casual "twang" way of speaking with a lot of "ya"s and "dunno"s and such and wondering if that's weird. I'm not deliberately changing how I speak in a conscious way but it's like I need to speak with a different lingo depending on how I feel.
I do that, so that doesn't make you any weirder than me, if that helps.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Specter Von Baren

Zykon TheLich

Extra Heretical!
Legacy
Jun 6, 2008
3,446
779
118
Country
UK
A lot more groans and pauses as my poor old bain tries to deal with the complexities of articulating my thoughts in realtime.
 

Xprimentyl

Made you look...
Legacy
Aug 13, 2011
6,209
4,482
118
Plano, TX
Country
United States
Gender
Male
Obviously, it's easier to articulate in text as you can sort your thoughts and ensure they make the most sense. But speaking, I tend to be rather terse. I feel exhausted when expected to express myself in conversation, so the fewer words, the better. But if engaged (or inebriated) enough, and the subject something I'm passionate enough about, I can talk your ear off (which is rare.)
 
  • Like
Reactions: Specter Von Baren

Elvis Starburst

Unprofessional Rant Artist
Legacy
Aug 9, 2011
2,732
719
118
I do talk a bit different online. Maybe a little more broad vocabulary or way of speaking overall, but, a lot of it comes down to sentence structure I think. Apparently I'm rather well spoken in person, but, I feel I do a better job of that online (Having talked online more than I have in person).

This also may be obvious, but, the setting makes a big difference. If it's something more professional, I definitely swear a lot less and take particular words out of my vocabulary. If it's casual, I speak without as many limits. I'd say that in most contexts, my online way of speaking in places like this leans more towards my professional tone IRL. Chatting with friends online or IRL though... maybe a little closer together. Though I'd say that even talking to friends online leans more on the understated/professional side than I do with friends IRL.

So if I made a scale for it...
[Casual]> IRL with friends, online with friends, online on forums/group chat, IRL in professional setting, online in professional setting <[Professional]
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Specter Von Baren

bluegate

Elite Member
Legacy
Dec 28, 2010
2,322
932
118
Using my mouth to say words instead of my fingers to type them. Also, different language.
Pretty much this.

As for different speech patterns, yes, I do have different speech patterns depending on who I'm talking to.

I talk differently when I'm talking with friends versus family, or versus small children, or elderly people, or strangers, etc.
 
Last edited:

Kae

That which exists in the absence of space.
Legacy
Nov 27, 2009
5,792
712
118
Country
The Dreamlands
Gender
Lose 1d20 sanity points.
Nowadays I talk like an average Northern Mexican person, which is to say in very vulgar Spanish, I'm also very direct and no nonsense, which is weird to people because I'm also very shy so I turn from like really meek and softspoken to passionate preacher very suddenly, which confuses people.

My English is pretty OK, however you imagine a Californian Mexican immigrant is roughly how I talk but with less slang, as with a complete and utter shift from my Spanish my English tends to be very formal and respectful, which make sense since I mainly learned to speak it in a professional environment, as before that I only read, wrote and understood it but couldn't speak it at all, basically I sound like those answering machines from corps but with a Mexican accent.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Specter Von Baren

Baffle

Elite Member
Oct 22, 2016
3,459
2,746
118
'Nah, ah, um, hmm, fuck it, but yeah, fuckin wassit'

'Who's a good dog! You're a good dog! Are you!? You look like you are!'

These are my two conversations. Obviously it depends on who I'm speaking to: the first one is people the second one is dogs.
 

Catfood220

Elite Member
Legacy
Dec 21, 2010
2,098
357
88
Hopefully the way I speak has less spelling mistakes and missing words than when I write something online.