Habits and Peeves

[WanderingGaze22]

A habit is a trait in one's personality that is hard to give up e.g., nail-biting. A peeve is an annoyance that could be overlooked. An example is when a pet bothers you when you are busy. Are these two concepts similar or separate from each other? If we understand its cause, could we gain better understanding about ourselves? Could this method be used in other areas such as relationships? Think about this and remember there are numerous factors and elements that come into play all the time.

[Steve3007]

I find that working in an office with a bunch of colleagues inevitably results in noticing their annoying habits. That's simply because you spend more of your waking time with them than you do with your loved ones. I often work from home these days, but today I'm in the office. One of the annoying habits of a colleague of mine is the "rising inflection". Almost every sentence he utters goes up at the end, as if it's a question. He was doing it just this morning. I find it annoying. I think it's a young person thing. So maybe I'm just old and grouchy.

[Pattern-chaser]

Isn't "rising inflection" a part of the 'Essex-boy' Thames-Estuary accent? Doesn't it also require one to say "awl" when we mean to say "oil"?

[AverageBozo]

I find that working in an office with a bunch of colleagues inevitably results in noticing their annoying habits. That's simply because you spend more of your waking time with them than you do with your loved ones. I often work from home these days, but today I'm in the office. One of the annoying habits of a colleague of mine is the "rising inflection". Almost every sentence he utters goes up at the end, as if it's a question. He was doing it just this morning. I find it annoying. I think it's a young person thing. So maybe I'm just old and grouchy.

I am annoyed by this as well.

I think it is a young person thing only in as much as someone somewhere spoke this way and it caught on with others. I have come across people of various generations who talk this way.

I think the fundamental psychology of the rising inflection is that it is a defense mechanism in the following sense:

The speaker fears or wants to avoid conflict. The rise carries an implicit question, I.e. “Is what I just said acceptable to the listener?”.

[Steve3007]

Isn't "rising inflection" a part of the 'Essex-boy' Thames-Estuary accent? Doesn't it also require one to say "awl" when we mean to say "oil"?

I wouldn't call it an Estuary-English thing specifically. Some people have suggested that it's an import from Australia (coming from the popularity of Ozzie soaps like Neighbours). I don't know about that either.

"Awl" instead of "Oil" sounds more like Texas!

One common Estuary-English thing is "I done" instead of "I did" and "we was" instead of "we were". Almost everybody uses those ones where I currently live (Kent).

I am annoyed by this as well.

I think it is a young person thing only in as much as someone somewhere spoke this way and it caught on with others. I have come across people of various generations who talk this way.

I think the fundamental psychology of the rising inflection is that it is a defence mechanism in the following sense:

The speaker fears or wants to avoid conflict. The rise carries an implicit question, I.e. “Is what I just said acceptable to the listener?”.

Yes, I think you're right that it's a conflict avoidance thing. Or, to put it another way, a "I'm not quite sure of what I'm saying so need to check it" thing.

[Pattern-chaser]

"Awl" instead of "Oil" sounds more like Texas!

Gordon Ramsey does it all the time. "Olive awl". It annoys me because it draws my attention when he does it, and I can't seem to ignore it.

[Steve3007]

Gordon Ramsey does it all the time. "Olive awl". It annoys me because it draws my attention when he does it, and I can't seem to ignore it.

Right, yes, I see what you mean now. It's that common south east England things of pronouncing 'L' as 'W'. So, for example, "handle" becomes "handaww" (roughly). And "sales" becomes "sows". etc. But there is now an interesting divide between the older south east England accent and the younger one (under 20). Previously it was a watered down traditional London accent. Now it's a watered down London street vaguely Ali G type of accent. I notice my 15 year old son talking like that when he's with his friends. With words like "bruv", "innit" (used not just as an abbreviation for "isn't it").

[Steve3007]

...and "nart-a-mean?" ("Do you know what I mean?")

E.g:

"She is bare fit bruv init. Nart-a-mean? He is punchin' wiv her. "

[AverageBozo]

In Ja Ja (Georgia) many of us say “uhl” and “uhl”.

[Pattern-chaser]

Sorry, you lost me there. My sons are in their late 30s, and my grand-daughter is 3, so I know no-one close to teen-age.

[AverageBozo]

In Ja Ja (Georgia) many of us say “uhl” and “uhl”.

awl sounds like uhl

oil sounds like uhl

Georgia sounds like jaja

[LuckyR]

In the US, the annoying young person in the office vocal trait is what's called, vocal fry.

Here the 'rising inflection' Steve referred to is called Uptalk (or Upspeak). Both of these styles basically make the speaker sound less competent than they really are and thus are professionally self limiting (and thus to me, less annoying).

[WanderingGaze22]

I find that working in an office with a bunch of colleagues inevitably results in noticing their annoying habits. That's simply because you spend more of your waking time with them than you do with your loved ones. I often work from home these days, but today I'm in the office. One of the annoying habits of a colleague of mine is the "rising inflection". Almost every sentence he utters goes up at the end, as if it's a question. He was doing it just this morning. I find it annoying. I think it's a young person thing. So maybe I'm just old and grouchy.

Maybe. It only depends on how well you remember 80s music of course.

[WanderingGaze22]

I find that working in an office with a bunch of colleagues inevitably results in noticing their annoying habits. That's simply because you spend more of your waking time with them than you do with your loved ones. I often work from home these days, but today I'm in the office. One of the annoying habits of a colleague of mine is the "rising inflection". Almost every sentence he utters goes up at the end, as if it's a question. He was doing it just this morning. I find it annoying. I think it's a young person thing. So maybe I'm just old and grouchy.

I am annoyed by this as well.

I think it is a young person thing only in as much as someone somewhere spoke this way and it caught on with others. I have come across people of various generations who talk this way.

I think the fundamental psychology of the rising inflection is that it is a defense mechanism in the following sense:

The speaker fears or wants to avoid conflict. The rise carries an implicit question, I.e. “Is what I just said acceptable to the listener?”.

I can relate to that. Most of the time, I have to keep a close eye on filtering out information verbal or otherwise.

[WanderingGaze22]

Gordon Ramsey does it all the time. "Olive awl". It annoys me because it draws my attention when he does it, and I can't seem to ignore it.

Right, yes, I see what you mean now. It's that common south east England things of pronouncing 'L' as 'W'. So, for example, "handle" becomes "handaww" (roughly). And "sales" becomes "sows". etc. But there is now an interesting divide between the older south east England accent and the younger one (under 20). Previously it was a watered down traditional London accent. Now it's a watered down London street vaguely Ali G type of accent. I notice my 15 year old son talking like that when he's with his friends. With words like "bruv", "innit" (used not just as an abbreviation for "isn't it").

How interesting that generation.