# I apparently talk weird, people have trouble understanding me...



## Ally Kitty (Oct 23, 2011)

...I don't have a speech impediment or anything, but I feel like people think I am weird/awkward/have something wrong from the way I talk. In my head, I sound fine, I have an OK sounding voice and I speak clearly. Everyone, from my own family, to customers at work (I am a cashier) to random people I have spoken to on Xbox live (...most who think I'm a guy from how deep my voice is... and also who have called me "tranny" and "****" and even once "lumberjack" once I say I'm a girl, even though I am neither transsexual or lesbian )have all said how I speak slurred, I mumble, speak WAY too fast (...to the point where it got me in trouble once in high school when I was told to read to the class ) and either speak TOO quietly (usually told at work by customers) or WAY, WAYYY too loud, by my boyfriend, parents, professors, etc. 

I feel like I may have some sort of hearing issue, because when I am talking "WAY TOO LOUD" I feel like I am speaking at a proper volume. (though I rarely have trouble hearing other people) My slurred speech/mumbling, which so many people sometimes ask me to repeat myself 3+ times because I am so hard to understand (...and I can't see why...) is embarrassing. I also hate my voice, I have heard it recorded and played back. It is very deep and nasaly and embarrassing to me (I have gotten made fun of for the extreme nasallyness) Has anyone else had comments made about their voice/the way they speak? It is awkward, and embarassing for me...


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## confidenceingod (Aug 8, 2012)

*i hear ya*

I understand, it's the same thing with me. I am either too quiet or i apparently speak unclearly and fast. I'll admit that i am long winded when i'm nervous. I think subconsciously i feel like no one cares about what i'm talking about, so either my voice will trail off or i start rambling.

I've also been accussed of sounding "white" my entire life, so that is a big part of why i dont like the sound of my voice. Did i mention i don't like my voice? Lol. And my voice doesn't do my looks justice, not to sound superficial. I wish i could just own it! The voice, the shyness, everything gotdammit!


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## RelinquishedHell (Apr 10, 2012)

I know I talk weird. I catch myself doing it. I usually talk to quiet and people can't hear me, or I stop myself and back track on what I said because I didn't like the way it came out. I also occasionally get a nervous stutter.


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## kavakava (Aug 8, 2012)

Hi, I have always had similar issues--talking too quietly, too fast, or sometimes too loud (never was told I sound like a lumberjack though) and was always asked to repeat myself (or was simply ignored). I could not tell I was doing this. Confidenceingod, I think you are right about the subconscious belief.

Finally, as an adult, I signed up for voice lessons with someone who coached actors. There were individual and group lessons. We would just read out loud and enunciate. Most of the people were not actors, just people with the same issues. It was extremely helpful and since then I'm rarely asked to repeat myself! The first thing she taught me was how to connect to my diaphragm when I speak. That alone was the biggest help! It took several tries, but isn't that hard! I could hear my voice project after that and it helped me slow down and expect to be heard.


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## mooncake (Jan 29, 2008)

I get told I mumble a lot (which I think traces back to having no confidence and feeling stupid when speaking because of it) and I have to repeat myself a fair bit because I'm not loud enough. I think I speak weirdly sometimes simply because I'm so out of practice... I don't even really have family members that I talk to, so I'm silent most of the time.

Maybe reading aloud to yourself could help a little bit, in allowing you to practice projecting your voice clearly?


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## ThatChickWithTheGlasses (Aug 9, 2012)

I've got a similiar problem, when I speak some people think I talk gibberish, talk t fast and sometimes random people will walk up to me and ask me if I'm American, I just get nervous that I start to talk for a long time and then I'm scared in case I'm boring people, even in high school I was scared to put my hand up to answer questions because some people would make fun of me.


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