Many of you know, if you have conversed with me in the wee hours of, well any time of the day, that my voice very easily gives me away. If I chat with you in the morning before I have had time to warm up the vocal cords on the drive or ride to start my day, then my voice tells of the sleep I just woke up from and they are a little rusty from the night’s sleep. On the opposite end of the spectrum, if we talk when my body is slowing down after a long day, then I sound quite similar to a man and it is imperative that I do not talk to anyone who could easily be confused or hard of hearing. Thinking of how my voice and inflections are a huge part of how I communicate and how others learn to understand me is a reflection on an earlier encounter I had this day. Sitting outside the Bread Co, minding my own business…soaking up the morning rays, reading, listening to a little Rob Bell, writing my thoughts down…all of a sudden I hear it, “Girloquilish”. If this is not familiar to you it is either because you are not a girl, or you have not yet had the definition of this new word I just created. Let me lay it down for you. Giloquilish is a language spoken by the majority of females of ages ranging from 12 – 22. It can be found among some a bit younger or even older than the listed ages, but for all intents and purposes it is most notable in the teen and early twenties. What is this language I speak of? For a direct encounter, please, sit around any gathering of these young gals and listen, one not need listen intently even for the decibel level is on average measured at an eight (on a ten point scale, ten being loudest). Things to observe as this language is used: voice inflections that resemble the ever popular “valley girl” and “prissy missy”, intonations that are ever dramatic, and life altering events in the form of “and then he ____” and “she said _____.” Now that we have established an understanding, I must admit I was a former speaker of Girloquilish. It is not something I am particularly proud of, but it was a stage in my life that helped form me and I look back and recant the error of my ways. I’ll take the manly sleepy voice any day over the girly dramatization that affected my middle school and part of my high school days. I will say the Girloquilish may fade away with age, life changing circumstances, and even maturation obtained through further education and jobs; however, a new language seems to plague the elder of our population of 20’s & 30’s. Yes, Childish talk is on a rise. When one finds that special someone, or a group of close friends who know you almost as well as anyone else could, then it happens. The low voice and sweet sound that flows from the tongue no matter the content of the words is heard far and near. Listen the next time The Originals get together for the yearly gathering; it will be there. Have you been around Jasmine lately as she greets her husband as he comes home from work; she knows it’s true. It is a blessing, it truly is to share the common language that expresses the deep love and commitment of years of knowing one another. I feel blessed to be able to say that I can speak multiple languages. I can pull out some Girloquilish if the situation arises. I speak fluent Childish and soon to be fluent Spanish as well.
For more information regarding this linguistics study just contact Dori; she will be happy to share.
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