The Philosoraptor Thread!

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Why is it that people's voices get higher when they are trying to sound polite and/or more formal? For instance, when I was talking to someone and she had to pick up the phone, her voice went up by about two pitches. Also, once, another person was telling me something, and then she went up to another classmate (whom she probably was not close to) to ask a question, her voice ALSO went up several pitches.

I could probably modify my augscomm system to accomodate that tendency.

I've also noticed that guys also do it too, so it's not a case of a girl trying to act "cute" to look polite.

Approximately how many half-semitones would the pitch rise?

I'm not sure how to measure how many pitches, but probably two or three pitches? A little less for a guy though.

Interesting... Maybe people will appreciate the augscomm more if it sounds more like a normal voice.

I guess they would.

There's something else I've always wondered. Don't most people get restrained at the dentist when they were younger? For some reason, this topic came up when talking to someone. She told me that she saw a kid that had to be tied down at the dentist, and I told her that I was in that situation when I was younger and she seemed surprised and started lecturing me about it.

I've never seen anyone get restrained at the dentist.

A different story when one goes in for shots.

NEEDLE!! !! !

Shots aren't as painful as people imagine them to be. I had to take 3 shots in one day back in March, and get blood drawn as well.
It was interesting, to say the least.

I dread the day when I have to get that one shot. I'd rather have the flu shot once a day than go for that one.

That's odd. I always thought that it was of the norm. Well, at pediatric dentistries anyway. They have this... uh, well, special board used to restrain uncooperative patients.

I hate shots, but I don't remember ever having to be restrained for them.

The pain is not as bad as the sight of the needle.

...

When people say dogs' barks are worse than their bites, do they necessarily have the bites to prove it or is it that everyone has hyperacusis?

I second this.

I get what you mean, but I think that it's a metaphor for people who make threats they never/cannot carry out.