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Unrelated: I just want to mention the clarity of enunciation of people of this era. They spoke with this wonderful crystalline voice that is so pleasant to hear

Unrelated: I just want to mention the clarity of enunciation of people of this era. They spoke with this wonderful crystalline voice that is so pleasant to hear. Similar can be heard in Bell Labs demonstrations and other 1950-1980 clips. I think part of it is the audio processing and low-pass filtering, but I think the accent and our discipline of the language has changed dramatically. In America, many kids today cannot go longer in a sentence without uttering 'like' and 'um'.

gadflyinyoureye 5y ago
- JaimeThompson 5y ago
  That the federal government hasn't taken over education is a bit of a hole in your argument.
MisterBastahrd 5y ago
Given that this guy stopped being a serious economist sometime in the early 70s and started being an ideologue who made his fortune giving speeches, it's no wonder that he'd be pretty good at public speaking given that's basically what his career was until his death. I think part of the reason for the clarity is that because these folks grew up without great audio production, they were forced to enunciate as clearly as possible, both on the radio and on stage. It's also why it's hard for me to watch old films and take the characters seriously. Nobody actually talked like that.
shakezula 5y ago
This is a phenomenon the world over, not just Americans, and not just young ones. It’s kind of ridiculous actually to suggest that filler words are unique to American kids.
- systemvoltage 5y ago
  Oh I wasn't speaking as Americans exclusively. I agree with you, just that I am in America so I can speak for what I can see.
WillDaSilva 5y ago
Another contributing factor is likely that back then most recorded voices you heard were from professional speakers/performers. Nowadays anyone can easily record their voice. Not only does this mean that many more amateurs will do so, but also that it has become a more casual affair - people don't generally put as much care into it.
sleightofmind 5y ago
Former California governor Pete Wilson practically refused to say, "uh." So much so that I used to listen to him just to see if I could catch him at it. My successes were few. He would simply pause, mid-sentence if necessary, to phrase his thoughts precisely. He was governor from 1991 to 1999 and his precise manner of speaking was noticeable even in his era.
- systemvoltage 5y ago
  I think we have a cultural malaise. But obviously, based on how badly my comment has been downvoted, many disagree. I am convinced that spoken American English has degraded and regressed over the years.
  - sleightofmind 5y ago
    I'm with you.
creata 5y ago
> In America, many kids today cannot go longer in a sentence without uttering 'like' and 'um'. You seem to be comparing children to professional speakers. Why?

gadflyinyoureye 5y ago

JaimeThompson 5y ago
That the federal government hasn't taken over education is a bit of a hole in your argument.

MisterBastahrd 5y ago

Given that this guy stopped being a serious economist sometime in the early 70s and started being an ideologue who made his fortune giving speeches, it's no wonder that he'd be pretty good at public speaking given that's basically what his career was until his death. I think part of the reason for the clarity is that because these folks grew up without great audio production, they were forced to enunciate as clearly as possible, both on the radio and on stage. It's also why it's hard for me to watch old films and take the characters seriously. Nobody actually talked like that.

shakezula 5y ago

This is a phenomenon the world over, not just Americans, and not just young ones. It’s kind of ridiculous actually to suggest that filler words are unique to American kids.

systemvoltage 5y ago
Oh I wasn't speaking as Americans exclusively. I agree with you, just that I am in America so I can speak for what I can see.

WillDaSilva 5y ago

Another contributing factor is likely that back then most recorded voices you heard were from professional speakers/performers. Nowadays anyone can easily record their voice. Not only does this mean that many more amateurs will do so, but also that it has become a more casual affair - people don't generally put as much care into it.

sleightofmind 5y ago

Former California governor Pete Wilson practically refused to say, "uh." So much so that I used to listen to him just to see if I could catch him at it. My successes were few. He would simply pause, mid-sentence if necessary, to phrase his thoughts precisely. He was governor from 1991 to 1999 and his precise manner of speaking was noticeable even in his era.

systemvoltage 5y ago
I think we have a cultural malaise. But obviously, based on how badly my comment has been downvoted, many disagree. I am convinced that spoken American English has degraded and regressed over the years.
- sleightofmind 5y ago
  I'm with you.

creata 5y ago

> In America, many kids today cannot go longer in a sentence without uttering 'like' and 'um'. You seem to be comparing children to professional speakers. Why?