General Chat

Paper this morning in a rather unscientific survey says that a lot of people talk 'posh' on the telephone. On this channel, we are all 'dead posh' anyway, but perhaps you have ' a friend'who just might do that kind of thing. happy days

I'm not posh at all but apparently have a 'Telephone Voice' according to my daughters. It's not for general chat but used when speaking to headteachers, who might perhaps employ me. I think alot of us change the manner of our speech depending on the circumstance, - on or off the phone.

i dont think i talk posh! lol i do have a work voice tho - again dont think its posh just take a different tone when working with older people or younger depending which job im doing! lol my mum has a phone voice tho and its so funny - xx

my mum has a telephone voice lol...i sound about ten when im on the phone nevermind posh!!

I think most of us tend to try to speak more clearly on the phone and also sound 'posh' when answering unless we know who is on the other end. My brother's friends always said I sounded 'posh' when answering the phone when I lived at home. My husband's voice is always deeper when he answers and he goes up a bit when he recognises who it is! nell

Air hellair, Harry! One is familiar with the concept. I used to work in a large department of a huge company, where we were involved in the office side of worldwide operations. We used to have a duty rota for people who could be called up out of office hours if a difficult situation arose in a different time zone. It was my job to work out the duty officers' rotas and to record the answerphone message for the emergency number. Unfortunately, the tapes we used in the machine were so old that, unless I spoke extremely precisely and clearly, callers would often mis-hear or get confused. So it was very much a case of the 'Margo Leadbetter' voice when recording the tape. I also find it works better if I'm ringing someone to make a complaint. Sometimes I've even been called 'Madam' ! (If only they knew!) O' course, I get back ter talkin' proper after, don' I? Narta mean, guv? LoL CB >|< X

Having worked in a call centre, I suppose I do have a telephone voice, possibly enunciating certain words more and so on. The thing is, having done enough job interviews now, you learn how to sound and present yourself at your most assured and most confident. If that means you're well spoken then so be it.

Off golfing now, but seems' mrs bucket' is not too far-fetched after all. happy days

someone once told me that the female voice goes up half an octave when answering the phone....... my husband says I'm posh anyway but then compared to him..........(LOL)

My mother was instructed not to talk 'broad Cumbrian' in her job back in about 1940 (she was a secretary). She lost most of her accent.

Geoff I love to hear different accents, but I think the phone tends to emphasise them, possibly making some not so easily understood by some people.

Thinking about Carol's comment above, it's strange how you conjure up a picture of people you speak to on the phone. I've often been surprised when I've met them later. Lots of people tell me I sound very young - Mommylonglegs recently told me I sounded about 20! OMG - I wish! CB >|<

One word - 'Riiiiiiichaaaaaaaard'

One of my previous bosses had an unremarkable southern accent , except when he rang his mum and it changed instantly to broad Geordie. Always amused me.

Neeta, If I promise not to talk like Margo, will you teach me Geordie in Newcastle, please? LoL CB >|< P S Just to make matters worse, I DID actually live in Surbiton for a while!

I (I have been told) sound different when I answer the 'phone at work (from what? one may wonder!!): 'Good morning. Winton Salvation Army. How may I help you?' :-) Joy PS I used to work for a Geordie and had difficulty when taking dictation from him ... :-)

Cheers, Nee'a, pet! My Dad died 44 years ago - my memory's not that good! CB >|< X

My Mum and my sister talk Posh on the phone when they are dead common really! Me Im just an ordinary dyed in the wool Mancunian say it how it is! Dave

Dave, love, I hope you mean 'dyed in the wool' - or are you speaking to us through a medium? ;>))) CB >|< X

I've been told that I speak quite poshly many times (someone even once joked that I taught the Queen how to speak!!) I hope I sound clear and articulate and if I do it's due to my mother who constantly reminded/nagged me to pronounce my T's, G's and S's. Not bad for someone who's had an american accent and lived in Essex for almost 15 years! becx