Here’s a pet peeve about how I sound on the radio: When I listen back to myself in interviews, I’m struck by how often I say “uhhh” as I’m putting together a question. I think it makes me sound stupid, but it’s how I talk, so I roll with it.
Turns out I’m completely normal.
A post at the Atlantic quotes a linguist at the University of Pennsylvania, who says men use “uh” more and more as they get older.
Women tend to say”um,” but that decreases with age.
Stories You Might Like
There’s a lot happening in the world. Through it all, Marketplace is here for you.
You rely on Marketplace to break down the world’s events and tell you how it affects you in a fact-based, approachable way. We rely on your financial support to keep making that possible.
Your donation today powers the independent journalism that you rely on. For just $5/month, you can help sustain Marketplace so we can keep reporting on the things that matter to you.
