Misuse of the Declarative Statement

[WickedPerdition]

This is not linked to a previous thread but is equally relevant to the way we express ourselves.
I am somewhat disconcerted by the unnecessary use of upward inflection of a declarative statement.
If you are unfamiliar with the practise, it is where a simple, spoken statement, that is, non-interrogative statement, is transformed into a question by applying inflected stress at the end of a sentence to make it sound like a question.
This practise is becoming increasingly more widespread, for unknown reasons. I am inclined to think that it is another transatlantic abomination of the English language, prominent in U.S. television and film. Sorry, movies. On the other hand, it might just be that people now do not know how to correctly communicate an idea without sounding stupid.
Whatever the reason, I personally find it unacceptable. It's enough that written English words are being constantly abused. Surely, we now need to educate our children to speak in the correct way also.
What on earth are they teaching children about English these days?
The future is bleak. Very bleak!

 

[LadyOnArooftop]

upward inflection

declarative statement.

inflected stress

non-interrogative statement

What is it!? ^^^^^^^^
I envy your complete grasp of the English language because this latest posting went completely over my head. It's awful being so uneducated but I can learn from you, in time, I may achieve the status of a flea on a lion.

 

[MrFaustian]

This is not linked to a previous thread but is equally relevant to the way we express ourselves.
I am somewhat disconcerted by the unnecessary use of upward inflection of a declarative statement.
If you are unfamiliar with the practise, it is where a simple, spoken statement, that is, non-interrogative statement, is transformed into a question by applying inflected stress at the end of a sentence to make it sound like a question.
This practise is becoming increasingly more widespread, for unknown reasons. I am inclined to think that it is another transatlantic abomination of the English language, prominent in U.S. television and film. Sorry, movies. On the other hand, it might just be that people now do not know how to correctly communicate an idea without sounding stupid.
Whatever the reason, I personally find it unacceptable. It's enough that written English words are being constantly abused. Surely, we now need to educate our children to speak in the correct way also.
What on earth are they teaching children about English these days?
The future is bleak. Very bleak!

I'm no expert on the English language or use of literature myself

My view I wouldn't allow American media'/literature or other media from other english speaking nations (or certainly limit it) as they have adapted or changed many words that now have or are used in other contexts. Same with spelling aeroplane airplane many american words use z instead of s etc

 

[Altair]

I'm no expert on the English language or use of literature myself

My view I wouldn't allow American media'/literature or other media from other english speaking nations (or certainly limit it) as they have adapted or changed many words that now have or are used in other contexts. Same with spelling aeroplane airplane many american words use z instead of s etc

You....YOU wouldn't allow?...

Who the fuc.k are you?

 

[Altair]

 

[MrFaustian]

You....YOU wouldn't allow?...

Who the fuc.k are you?

I'm stating 'if' i had power

People with power can make decisions like that

 

[Altair]

I'm stating if i had power

People with power can make decisions life that

Life that?..

 

[MrFaustian]

Life that?..

I corrected it for you

there you go

 

[Altair]

I corrected it for you

there you go

You corrected your own EGO...Nothing but.

 

[WickedPerdition]

What is it!? ^^^^^^^^
I envy your complete grasp of the English language because this latest posting went completely over my head. It's awful being so uneducated but I can learn from you, in time, I may achieve the status of a flea on a lion.

YAY! A reply that was actually relevant to the thread! Miracles do happen. You're one of the few consistent members of the Forums.
There are quite a few videos on YouTube that show how a simple statement can be made to sound like a question. It is this practise that I find an abomination. In fact, some demonstrate that meaning of a single statement can be transformed by blatant stress on every single word in the statement.
An example of what I am referring to would be: "You said that you lived in London". It is not necessary to stress any of the words in that statement.
However, if you add stress on the word, London, it transform the spoken statement to the form of a question, usually with an upward tone.
It is the habit of making a formal (declarative) statement change to an interrogative one which is becoming a 'perversion of speech'. It seems particularly prevalent in the younger generation, for some obscure reason.
I would be surprised if you have never witnessed it in person or via film, television or even radio.
Let me know if this helped at all.

 

[Dong]

This upward inflection thing...we have the Ozzies to thank for it.
I think it comes from their sad history when we sent our miserable criminals to Oz as punishment.....gave them a right inferiority complex which resulted in.......everything they said becoming a question, they being rather inferior and uncertain of their place.

 

[WickedPerdition]

This upward inflection thing...we have the Ozzies to thank for it.
I think it comes from their sad history when we sent our miserable criminals to Oz as punishment.....gave them a right inferiority complex which resulted in.......everything they said becoming a question, they being rather inferior and uncertain of their place.

Fair dinkum, cobber.
That'll be why they say 'Howzat' in a funny way then, I suppose.

 

[Paolo]

I find similarly ghastly to the 'upward inflection' is the starting of an answer with the word "So"

 

[mario2]

YAY! A reply that was actually relevant to the thread! Miracles do happen. You're one of the few consistent members of the Forums.
There are quite a few videos on YouTube that show how a simple statement can be made to sound like a question. It is this practise that I find an abomination. In fact, some demonstrate that meaning of a single statement can be transformed by blatant stress on every single word in the statement.
An example of what I am referring to would be: "You said that you lived in London". It is not necessary to stress any of the words in that statement.
However, if you add stress on the word, London, it transform the spoken statement to the form of a question, usually with an upward tone.
It is the habit of making a formal (declarative) statement change to an interrogative one which is becoming a 'perversion of speech'. It seems particularly prevalent in the younger generation, for some obscure reason.
I would be surprised if you have never witnessed it in person or via film, television or even radio.
Let me know if this helped at all.

 

[supercookie123]

What is it!? ^^^^^^^^
I envy your complete grasp of the English language because this latest posting went completely over my head. It's awful being so uneducated but I can learn from you, in time, I may achieve the status of a flea on a lion.

In short, an interrogative asks a question, whereas a declarative is a statement (perhaps of fact). More and more people are making declarative statements SOUND, when spoken, like a question. If I were to ask someone, 'How old are you?', sometimes, their answer would sound like, 'I recently had a birthday, so now I am twenty-two?'. People do it all the time. Gets on my nerves. And you are NOT uneducated - you just happened not to know some of the words for this topic, as I don't know the words related to quantum physics...

 

[mario2]

YAY! A reply that was actually relevant to the thread! Miracles do happen. You're one of the few consistent members of the Forums.
There are quite a few videos on YouTube that show how a simple statement can be made to sound like a question. It is this practise that I find an abomination. In fact, some demonstrate that meaning of a single statement can be transformed by blatant stress on every single word in the statement.
An example of what I am referring to would be: "You said that you lived in London". It is not necessary to stress any of the words in that statement.
However, if you add stress on the word, London, it transform the spoken statement to the form of a question, usually with an upward tone.
It is the habit of making a formal (declarative) statement change to an interrogative one which is becoming a 'perversion of speech'. It seems particularly prevalent in the younger generation, for some obscure reason.
I would be surprised if you have never witnessed it in person or via film, television or even radio.
Let me know if this helped at all.

You dont half talk some shyte sometimes.

 

[supercookie123]

So glad to see this here. I started a thread on people using, 'So...' to begin answers, too. 'Where did you go on holiday this year?' 'So, we started in Mexico, then...'. NO. NOT 'SO' anything. You didn't go BECAUSE of anything.

This upward inflection thing...we have the Ozzies to thank for it.
I think it comes from their sad history when we sent our miserable criminals to Oz as punishment.....gave them a right inferiority complex which resulted in.......everything they said becoming a question, they being rather inferior and uncertain of their place.

I agree. When 'Neighbours' and its poor relation, 'Home and Away' became popular when we were young, I can remember kids at school starting to do it! Also, they would say, 'Issut?' and 'Isn'tut' instead of 'is it' and 'isn't it'! I can remember it well! Ha ha ha. And calling couples an 'item' and more rubble. It's natural development of language, I suppose - language has always had its influencers, but these current ones make my teeth itch.

 

[supercookie123]

Can we start some sort of protest against newsreaders using incorrect grammar? 'Goodnight from me and all the team'. All the team? The whole team, surely? Or do they mean all the teamS? If so, which teams? And they KEEP on saying 'The family are...' and 'The team are...' A FAMILY AND A TEAM ARE SINGLE OBJECTS. We do 'is' and 'are' as REVISION in Year 7!

 

[supercookie123]

So sorry! 'LIKE' is an issue, too... 'Well, like, we, like went to Mexico, which was, like, OMG, and we, like, had the best time and, like...' Makes me a bit stabby.

 

[LadyOnArooftop]

YAY! A reply that was actually relevant to the thread! Miracles do happen. You're one of the few consistent members of the Forums.
There are quite a few videos on YouTube that show how a simple statement can be made to sound like a question. It is this practise that I find an abomination. In fact, some demonstrate that meaning of a single statement can be transformed by blatant stress on every single word in the statement.
An example of what I am referring to would be: "You said that you lived in London". It is not necessary to stress any of the words in that statement.
However, if you add stress on the word, London, it transform the spoken statement to the form of a question, usually with an upward tone.
It is the habit of making a formal (declarative) statement change to an interrogative one which is becoming a 'perversion of speech'. It seems particularly prevalent in the younger generation, for some obscure reason.
I would be surprised if you have never witnessed it in person or via film, television or even radio.
Let me know if this helped at all.

Thanks for explaining the opening post, I totally get it now. I suppose in a written statement the non-interrogative statement is transformed into a question by writing a word in capitals "You said you live in LONDON". Oh to have had a good education.. . . .