For several years I have been struck by the odd nasal tones employed by many young women from ages 10 to 35. There is no physical, meteorological, or biological shift that could explain the significant numbers. The phenomenon of nasal speech was noted as far back as 1985 by Clark Whelton in his article “What Happens in Vagueness Stays in Vagueness—The decline and fall of American English, and stuff.”

It has gotten worse in recent years.

The main thrust of Mr. Whelton’s essay decries the declining ability of the young to express themselves accurately. The nasal tones were but one symptom: “Even nasal passages are affected by fashion. Quack-talking, the rasping tones preferred by many young women today, used to be considered a misfortune.” Thanks to Mr. Whelton for naming the phenomenon. 

A condition that once called for speech therapy but now embraced, “quack-talking” evokes the image of a duck. Almost all children below the age of five sound like ducks. Most kids grow out of it when they reach their teens. At least, that’s the way it used to be. However, quack-talking has now become firmly entrenched. Many women are still doing it well into their thirties.

This nasal mode of speaking grates on the ear, but quack-talking is more disturbing on other levels. It makes an apparently mature women sound like a pre-teen, and this has professional implications. Speaking as the resident Old Guy, it is very difficult for me to lend credence to the words of a thirty-five year old woman who sounds like she’s ten. It just lacks gravitas. There are several commentators on CNN who quack-talk. This is unfortunate because they present otherwise as intelligent and knowledgeable.

Recently I asked an older woman whose opinion I respect why quack-talking was so prevalent. Her theory was interesting. “I’ve noticed it, too,” she said. “I believe it’s a subconscious effort to get people to like them. If they sound like children, they come across as non-threatening and sweet, even innocent.”

Can this be true? I don’t pretend to be a psychologist, but this explanation certainly sounds plausible. Frankly, I can’t think of another reason why an adult would choose to sound like a child. Ideas, anyone?