Are SE Asian languages the Most Annoying in the World?

[scottish-guy]

Not that my relationship can compete with Matt & Leo in terms of drama but I thought I'd mention that having now been exposed to my BF's phone conversations in Vietnamese for 6 weeks I'm being driven to distraction.

To the untrained ear the Vietnamese language is of course phonically similar to Thai (I don't know about other SE Asian languages but no doubt some cunning linguist (or anal rimmer) will tell us the answer to that)

Anyhoo, there are three issues for me:

1. The language generally sounds like somebody tramping on a cat's tail - it is very unpleasant with all the high pitched screeching that goes on and it increases in pitch proportionately with any hilarity involved to the extent that its like somebody scraping their nails on a blackboard. All the high pitched squealing is even worse I'd imagine than a SGT mod's Skype meeting

2. The fact that (like the Spanish) Vietnamese speakers seem incapable of conversing at a reasonable number of decibels. They basically shout everything at each other rather than converse at a normal level

3. Like other SGT members who have alluded to their advancing hearing loss I too am struggling - but I also have a reduced dynamic range as a result of auditory recruitment. In other words, soft sounds can be too soft to hear but loud sounds which are easily tolerable to others are unbearable. Thus this "cat's tail tramping" is going right through me.

So I wondered - is it just me (or the small sample I listen to) or do others regard Thai and Vietnamese as unpleasant sounding and annoying languages?

And before anybody has a go - I do not have a Glasgow accent - I speak with a lovely, flowing, musical, highland lilt

[a447]

It's not just you.

Like Chinese, with which it has some historical connection, Vietnamese is a tonal language. And, of course, so is Thai.

It's the sing-song sound of those tones which make these languages unattractive to me, along with the high-pitched voices. Listening to it day after day is a real trial.

I wish they'd drop down an octave.

Vietnamese and Thai sound totally different to me.

BTW, no "high-pitched squealing" from me, whether I'm upright or horizontal!

[arsenal]

And of course, being young not only do they get way more telephone calls than the old folks but their calls go on forever and ever. So there's really five issues here.

[bobsaigon2]

SG,

I agree, it’s the high pitched nasality that many people find unattractive. But it’s so common that only in the most extreme cases do other Vietnamese comment on it. The same for Thai. I suppose it is attributable to the nasal configuration in some SE Asians.

But any language not your own can be grating simply because you don’t understand it. If BF is on the phone for half an hour to Vietnam, speaking loudly enough to make sure that they can hear him, then that’s bound to be annoying.

There is also a lack of differentiation between public voice level and “at home” speech. If you grew up in a noisy household you may well speak loudly no matter where you are and it would not occur to you to have your children moderate their public voices. It’s the decibel level that I find most disturbing, more so than the nasality.

There was a time here in Vietnam when I heard Tagalog spoken and it was not a pleasing sound. However, it became much more acceptable after spending time with guys in Manila and Cebu.

I’m quite sure that some Vietnamese are said to speak with a lively, flowing, musical lilt. Guess it all depends on what your ears are used to.

[scottish-guy]

I guess (and I'm aware this is a generality) that being brought up in a Vietnamese home with probably more occupants than the majority of westerners might have is a contributing factor to the volume employed - I guess each individual might struggle to make themselves heard over the other occupants.

Also, I've observed that in SE Asia and with (younger) SE Asians it seems to be regarded as entirely acceptable to have multiple things going on at once - e.g. to have one of these loud phone conversations (and as Arsenal says, they go on for 30-60 minutes) while someone else is trying to watch TV or read a magazine. It's more than just bad manners (which I regard it as incidentally) it just seems to be normal living for them.

And whilst I'm on a rant - I've noticed that even here in the West people intrude in your life way more than they used to - for example I have clients who now think it's acceptable to a) have my mobile number and b) use it to call me well outside business hours. Ten years ago no client would have dreamed of even asking for my private number far less using it to call me at 8.30pm or on a Sat or Sun with a moan about something I can do nothing about until the next day or after the weekend.

Maybe I'm just turning into Victor Meldrew, but I increasing resent the way "modern life" is going

[poshglasgow]

Hi SG,

Absolutely agree with all that you say about the tendency these days to expect every service provider/adviser to be on call 24 hours a day. I have experienced this myself where those who have looked to me for professional input have requested my mobile number and have abused the facility.

I once recall a client saying to a professional friend of mine: "May I remind you that I pay your wages..."
"Madam," he replied, "in that case I am inclined to take a slight decrease in salary. Please close the door on your way out."

[sglad]

BTW, no "high-pitched squealing" from me, whether I'm upright or horizontal!

No, you just yap no matter what the occasion.

[sglad]

Also, I've observed that in SE Asia and with (younger) SE Asians it seems to be regarded as entirely acceptable to have multiple things going on at once - e.g. to have one of these loud phone conversations (and as Arsenal says, they go on for 30-60 minutes) while someone else is trying to watch TV or read a magazine. It's more than just bad manners (which I regard it as incidentally) it just seems to be normal living for them.

And whilst I'm on a rant - I've noticed that even here in the West people intrude in your life way more than they used to - for example I have clients who now think it's acceptable to a) have my mobile number and b) use it to call me well outside business hours. Ten years ago no client would have dreamed of even asking for my private number far less using it to call me at 8.30pm or on a Sat or Sun with a moan about something I can do nothing about until the next day or after the weekend.

SG, you're beginning to sound like the Dowager Countess of Grantham!

[scottish-guy]

I had to look that up!

I've never seen Downton Abbey - but in looking it up, the worrying thing is the physical resemblance !!

[goji]

Careful. Do make sure getting irritated by your darling BF speaking his own language is not the first step towards a cooling off of the relationship.

Personally, I think the SE Asian languages are beautiful & think Arabic is the most annoying language, just like many of the people who speak it. My perception of the language is heavily influenced by the people speaking it.

As for the phone thing, well standard Android allows you to block numbers, or change the ringtone according to who it is. There is also an App called Blacklist Plus which seems capable of blocking calls from a blacklist at times of your choosing (I have not tried this particular app). Put all your business contacts on that.