In recent years there has been a "hot linguistic fad […] or the verbal tic of doom" that has become increasingly present in the speech of North American women. This linguistic obscurity is creaky voice or vocal fry. It has been commonly referred to as a component of "valley-girl-sound" because of its occurrence was often noticeable in the speech of young women from the west coast of the U.S. – specifically California. Now the trend has spread throughout the United States which has triggered numerous reports on blogs as well as various studies and research concerning this topic. Interestingly, however, most of the recent research conducted on the use of vocal fry among young American women has been about its perception. Yuasa’s study from 2010, for instance, came to the conclusion that creaky voice by American women from northern California and eastern Iowa was perceived as "hesitant, nonaggressive, and informal but also educated, urban-oriented, and upwardly mobile."
While other studies suggest that it could be hurting their job opportunities. While the perception on vocal fry varies, so do the opinions for its emergence among young Americans. Some propose that it is a part of a social identity that young women strive to be a part of. Others suggest that it is a tool to lower the voice in order for it to resemble the male voice which is frequently perceived as more dominant because of its lower pitch. Consequently, this theory means that vocal fry is a tool of empowerment for young women. The theory that will be discussed in this paper, however, will be a different one. I will examine how vocal fry and its popularity among young American women are being spread through the popular women who are prevalent in the media. As Graddol and Swan state:
"It would be surprising if people did not use their voice to project a culturally desirable image. Other parts of the human body which have been endowed with social significance are manipulated, groomed or decorated before being presented in public." This statement gives power to the argument that the not only the vocab but also the phonation in the speech of young women are impressionable by famous and successful women that function as role models for them.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. What is “Creaky Voice”?
3. The Media’s Influence on Language
4. Media Outlets that frequently feature Creaky Voice by American Women
4.1 Television
4.2 Film
4.3 Social Media
4.4 Music?
5. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Key Topics
The primary objective of this research paper is to examine the role of mass media in the widespread adoption of "creaky voice" (vocal fry) among young American women. The paper explores the thesis that influential female celebrities across various media platforms serve as role models, whose speech patterns, specifically the use of vocal fry, are being imitated by their young female audience as a way to project a culturally desirable image.
- Physiological explanation of creaky voice and its distinction from regular phonation.
- The sociolinguistic influence of television and film on language patterns.
- Analysis of vocal fry prevalence among popular female influencers and celebrities.
- The impact of media consumption patterns, particularly among young women, on speech behavior.
- Critical evaluation of music and social media as contributors to the emergence of this linguistic fad.
Excerpt from the Book
2. What is “Creaky Voice”?
Creaky voice is a phonatory setting that occurs during speech. Also referred to as vocal fry or laryngealization (in linguistic literature), it is the lowest vocal register and is produced when the vocal folds are pressed together more tightly during speech than in regular voicing. In clear speech, the vocal chords vibrate in their maximum range of space while air passes through them. This (usually) makes the phonological production of the speaker sound clear. When applying creaky voice not only are the vocal folds being compressed, but the whole larynx is shortened until the point that it seems cramped. This means that only a short length of vocal chords vibrate and the air cannot pass through as fluent and uninterrupted as usual. This results in the distinct auditory effect of vocal fry – the speaker’s voice sounding like a “rapid series of taps, like a stick being run along a railing”. It is often also compared to a popping noise which is often said to have been the reason for the eventual term vocal fry because it gives the impression that the words of the speaker are being “fried” as they are being spoken.
What also needs to be mentioned, however, is that creaky voice cannot only be applied intentionally by the speaker, it also occurs inadvertently. The natural level of creaky varies from speaker to speaker meaning that some speakers tend to exhibit more creak in their voice than others without doing it purposely. It can also occur in speech because of factors such as age and tiredness. It also occurs regardless of the factors mentioned. For instance, if there is a vowel at the beginning of a sentence, speakers tend to use vocal fry automatically to articulate the vowel. Furthermore at the end of a sentence, the speaker often reduces his or her pitch to a lower frequency which makes the end of the sentence sound “fried”. This research, however, will focus on the intended and excessive use vocal fry.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter introduces creaky voice as a linguistic fad among North American women and outlines the paper's thesis regarding its spread through media role models.
2. What is “Creaky Voice”?: This chapter defines creaky voice physiologically, explaining its production in the larynx and its auditory characteristics while distinguishing between intentional and inadvertent usage.
3. The Media’s Influence on Language: This chapter establishes the theoretical framework regarding how mass media profoundly influences language and vernacular speech, setting the stage for the analysis of vocal fry.
4. Media Outlets that frequently feature Creaky Voice by American Women: This chapter analyzes how specific media forms—television, film, social media, and music—feature successful women who use vocal fry, thereby reinforcing its popularity among young audiences.
5. Conclusion: This chapter summarizes the findings, reiterating that the media plays a pivotal role in the emergence and spread of creaky voice by presenting it as a feature used by successful, influential women.
Keywords
Creaky voice, Vocal fry, Laryngealization, Mass media, Sociolinguistics, Phonation, American women, Role models, Language change, Television, Film, Social media, YouTube, Pop culture, Vernacular
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research paper?
The paper focuses on the increasing popularity of "creaky voice" (vocal fry) in the speech of young American women and explores how mass media contributes to this linguistic trend.
What are the primary thematic areas explored?
The research explores the physiology of voice, the sociolinguistic impact of media on language, and the correlation between the speech patterns of media celebrities and the younger generation.
What is the primary research question?
The research examines how vocal fry and its popularity are spread among young American women through the influence of successful female role models prevalent in various media outlets.
Which scientific methodology is utilized?
The author employs a descriptive and analytical approach, combining physiological explanations of speech with a sociolinguistic analysis of media influence, supported by literature reviews and observational analysis of contemporary media content.
What does the main body of the work cover?
The main body covers a definition of creaky voice, the general influence of media on language, and detailed case studies across television, film, social media, and music to illustrate the prevalence of the phenomenon.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Key terms include vocal fry, creaky voice, sociolinguistics, media influence, and linguistic fad.
How does television specifically contribute to the spread of vocal fry?
The paper argues that television shows with high viewership among young women, such as "Keeping up with the Kardashians," feature influential female personalities whose frequent use of vocal fry sets a recognizable and imitated speech standard.
What role does YouTube play in this linguistic development?
YouTube acts as a significant platform where social media influencers and vloggers use vocal fry during content creation, which is then consumed by a predominantly female demographic within the most impressionable age groups.
Is the use of vocal fry in singing considered the same as in speech?
The paper notes that while vocal fry in singing is a technique to reach lower registers or convey emotion, its emergence in regular speech is a distinct sociolinguistic phenomenon, though the influence from famous singers cannot be ignored.
- Citar trabajo
- Henry Quevedo (Autor), 2018, How the Mass Media is contributing to the Emergence of Creaky Voice among young American Women, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/425382
