Sarah Davies

Language Log had a post last week on uptalk using this YouTube video as an example:

Notice how his inflection rises at the end of each statement, as if he’s asking a question, or indicating that he’s unsure the listener understands what he’s saying. That’s called uptalk.

I think a lot about why it is that women are consistently paid less than men. Clay Shirky thinks it’s because women haven’t properly learned to become assholes. I think he’s onto something there. His detractors claim he’s blaming the victim. I do think that people who are more assertive in the office tend to get things done, and people who get things done are more successful.

Uptalk seems to be a more prominent trait in women. In my experience, the women who do uptalk do it all the time, not just when they are feeling insecure about a particular statement. But I can definitely see how it could be perceived as insecurity and thus result in less assertive statements. I would love to see research on whether uptalk correlates with salary.

Posted by Sarah Davies, filed under public speaking. Date: March 8, 2010, 5:41 pm | View Comments