Mumbling Generation

[kloofnek]

Has anyone else noticed how the young ones of today mumble when speaking.hardly moving their mouths.Plus,no intonation just one long stream of "mm.mm.mm."
Maybe,I notice it more as I was an English teacher abroad and thus had to speak loudly and clearly.

I find it so irritating .when my grandson speaks to me...I can`t understand a word he says!!!!

Surely ,they should teach them in schools to speak properly and parents too.

[Connemmara]

you are right kloofnek and back to the other thing - met my neighbour's daughter last week who approached me and her mother talking on the street - she walked up mumbling to the mother as to take baby out of her mother's arms - meanwhile I would have liked a little thanks as to the money I put into a wedding card for her about 3 weeks ago - and didn't go to the wedding. No, nothing at all. Just blankety blank.

[mikey4444]

I blame that newcomer, Marlon Brando myself !

[rockyracoon]

I think with each generation going along there will be kids that will only mumble at adults, they see us as an irritation. I just refuse to speak to anyone that won't speak properly to me.

[B00]

Doesn't every generation of teens mumble to their elders?

I know i did, and it was usually as talking to them (older people) was dull and i didn't wanna do it- maybe it's same for this generation of teens too? ;-)

[douglas9401]

Spooky. I was discussing this very topic with my daughter and her friend over dinner last night.

At least I think that's what we were discussing. :)

[ummmm]

Mine mumble. They can manage to talk clearly when their mates are here though.

[mccfluff]

my mum says i mumble, i call it muttering under my breath

[Hypognosis]

I'm convinced the "mumbling teenager" trope goes back more than a few decades. Usually used to indicate the character is lacking in self-confidence generally or just not proud of themselves with regard to something a bit more specific.

e.g.: - Gran enquires as to how well they are getting on at school/have they got a girlfriend/boyfriend yet?
Teenager responds with "wulllwudvebtmmmmbbblbllbbermmmumbblewurr", which - in all probability - denotes failure to live up to gran's expectations.

The cognitive effort of simultaneously producing a stream of words without hesitation (where hesitancy leads the average listener to deduce that a lie is being formulated) whilst also thinking up excuses for aforementioned failure is enough to overload the typical, preoccupied, teen brain, resulting in muffled indistinct speech.

:O)

[ummmm]

Their confidence returns when they want money!

[B00]

so does their politeness ummmm!

[mrs_overall]

My youngest is a mumbler and is at the monosyllabic answer stage.

My middle offspring speaks clearly and at length. Unfortunately every other word she utters is "like". It drives me insane.

[MrIncredible]

I'd swap mumbling for "txt speak" anyday....innit! Most of my daughters friends speak like they are inner city gangsters, we live in quite rural Dorset innit!

[mrs_overall]

Mr Incredible - I bet your daughters think that Westward Ho is a woman of loose morals travelling in a certain direction ;-)

[Robinia]

Well the little ones all seem to shout these days...then there's the mumbling stage...but far worse are the 20/30 somethings who talk in that awful slightly Australian style as if every sentence is a question.

[Octavius]

"when my grandson speaks to me...I can`t understand a word he says!!!!"

Maybe its a combination of their mumbling and your hearing in old age.

Get an ear trumpet.

http://johnesimpson.com/images/eartrumpet_dual_wacky_03.jpg

[hc4361]

Do they still do that, Robinia? It was very noticeable a decade or more ago when Neighbours, Home and Away etc seemed to be continually on our screens?
I haven't noticed it lately? :D

[Robinia]

I'm afraid they do hc but I've noticed one couple in particular near to me have toned it down a little...maybe because they now live amongst more of us oldies :)

[kloofnek]

So it is not just me...thank God!!!

[Peter Pedant]

.

No Kloofje you are just going granny-llike

I cant understand people now unless I see their lips move.
Apparently if I get a hearing aid I use visual cues less

[kloofnek]

I am the same Peter,but my husband has ears like Jodrell Bank and he can`t understand our grandson either!!!