Exploring how content creators speak on TikTok — it's known as influencer speak

Transcript

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

Hi there. It's Steve Inskeep. I just wanted to hop on here and say a few things. The way I'm talking now is the way some content creators speak on TikTok, and it's known as influencer speak or TikTok voice. It's a combination uptalk, where you sound like a question when it's not a question. And the other element is vocal fry.

LAURA PURCELL VERDUN: Broadly, this upspeak - this upspeak - with talking does have a tendency to suggest hesitancy questioning, you know, less-than-assured tones, youthfulness.

LEILA FADEL, HOST:

Laura Purcell Verdun is a speech therapist and communication coach. She's had dozens of clients come to her because they want to get rid of these speech traits.

PURCELL VERDUN: The vocal fry is noisy. So if they're in noisy environments, whether it's a restaurant or a boardroom, you need to be able to speak up. You need to have a strong, clear voice. Noisier voices that are more vocal fry just don't carry.

INSKEEP: Adam Aleksic, known as the Etymology Nerd on TikTok, says the trend came out of the Valley Girl accent.

ADAM ALEKSIC: It's sort of a prestige dialect on the internet that also helps with platform retention. When viewers are listening, they want to keep listening to people when they have uptick in their voice.

FADEL: Now, recently, some TikTokers started mocking the accent. One of the first to do that was Natalya Toryanski. The content creator made a parody video of the quote "cadence of every bland influencer" after she caught herself doing it.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

NATALYA TORYANSKI: Hi, you guys, I wanted to show you the best sweet treat.

INSKEEP: (Laughter) The video struck a chord, so she made 18 more, which have received a total of 23 million views.

TORYANSKI: It's something that a lot of people were aware of and perceiving, but nobody was really talking about it.

FADEL: Research shows young women have a major influence on linguistic changes, but speech therapist Purcell Verdun says anyone can fall prey to TikTok voice, even Steve Inskeep.

PURCELL VERDUN: These features of speaking - the vocal fry and the upward inflections - are pervasive. That's not just in the United States, and it's pervasive across genders as well.

INSKEEP: In order to get rid of the TikTok voice, Purcell Verdun recommends listening to a recording of yourself.

FADEL: Steve, do you listen to your pieces and think, I'm falling prey to TikTok voice?

INSKEEP: Well, yes. No.

FADEL: But your job is to ask questions.

INSKEEP: I don't really fall prey to TikTok voice.

FADEL: You do not.

INSKEEP: But I do listen back sometimes and critique myself and think, man, I didn't sound right there or whatever. And you try to learn, and it's actually a process of getting to the - to where you talk more like yourself.

FADEL: Yeah. Same, same.

INSKEEP: Yeah. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.