Vocal fry, also known as creaky voice, and its usage have been examined extensively. However, the existing research and results are quite conflicting at the moment. For example, some studies suggest that vocal fry is a positive speech feature, whereas others depict it negatively (Heid, 2017).
According to Nigel Ward (2019, p. 49), creaky voice can be produced due to anatomical reasons, such as aging that causes the vocal folds to become tenser and smoking that damages vocal folds. However, creaky voice can be used consciously for specific reasons, too. There are pragmatic reasons to the usage of vocal fry while speaking. For instance, it is one way to show confidence, to distance oneself from something or to indicate an authoritative knowledge of a discussed topic (Ward, 2019, p. 51). In addition, vocal fry can also be used to show lack of interest and gratitude. Creakiness in speech can fill a void in a discussion. For instance, while thinking about a matter or indicating confusion in a discussion, using creakiness can be used to show the act of wondering.
In addition, vocal fry is often used to identify oneself with a certain group, such as a specific social class or a fanbase (Ward, 2019, p. 51). For instance, reality TV shows have become more influential during the past decade, and one of the most well-known reality TV families are the Kardashians. In addition to their unique style and antics, the Kardashians are known for their speech, especially their creaky voices. Their vocal fry is quite evident, and due to their large fanbase, the usage of creaky voice has even increased in the US (Heid, 2017).
As aforementioned, vocal fry can be used consciously or unconsciously. We have a way of mimicking others while communicating with them, so speech patterns spread easily. In mimicking and expressing a certain attitude, the usage of the creaky voice is presumably conscious. However, an unconscious usage of creaky voice can be due to attitudes towards an environment. I wonder whether non-native speakers could take advantage of creaky voice and use it like native speakers of a language to become a part of a language community?
However, it is disheartening that people who use vocal fry, especially young women, are judged by the way they speak. For example, they are not taken as seriously as some of their colleagues who do not use vocal fry. I agree with Erin Riley (2015) regarding the fact that we should not try to change the way women speak and, thus, try to change an essential part of them. The most important thing is to listen to what women have to say – not how their voices sound when they express their thoughts.
Naomi Wolf (2015), on the other hand, argues that women should change the way they speak to reclaim back their strength, and I find this notion quite odd. I believe that we all should have the right to choose the way we want to speak – whether we want to use vocal fry or not. Women should not feel obliged to speak differently to gain power. Nevertheless, the discussions on vocal fry should not only centre around young women, but men and their creaky voices should be discussed, too. In fact, men use vocal fry twice as much as women do (Heid, 2017). So, is vocal fry another glass ceiling that needs to be torn down?
Are women more sensitive to linguistic features and phonetics than men? The influence of culture on speech is significant, so the occurrence and significance of vocal fry must be considered in different contexts, while taking into account the influence of the environment. Content-based speech cultures are unlikely to use creakiness as an effective speech feature, whereas in cultures that emphasise external factors, creakiness plays a communicative role. For instance, in Finland vocal fry has a different message to the speech act’s recipients than in the United States.
Works Cited
Heid, M., 2017. ‘You asked: what is vocal fry?’ In: Time. 2 November 2017. Available at: https://time.com/5006345/what-is-vocal-fry/ [Accessed 30.3.2020].
Riley, E., 2015. ‘Naomi Wolf misses the point about ‘vocal fry’. It’s just an excuse not to listen to women.’ In: The Guardian. 27 July 2015. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/jul/28/naomi-wolf-misses-the-point-about-vocal-fry-its-just-an-excuse-not-to-listen-to-women [Accessed 30.3.2020].
Ward, N., 2019. The Prosodic Patterns in English Conversation. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Available through: the University of Helsinki Library’s website at: https://www-cambridge-org.libproxy.helsinki.fi/core/books/prosodic-patterns-in-english-conversation/creaky-voice-and-its-functions/8E930EA474A16D504194614A2F61E946 [Accessed 30.3.2020].
Wolf, N., 2015. ‘Young women, give up the vocal fry and reclaim your strong female voice.’ In: The Guardian. 24 July 2015. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/jul/24/vocal-fry-strong-female-voice [Accessed 30.3.2020].