Millions of Brits have a special voice for different occasions – with many putting on a ‘phoning in sick’ voice when calling their boss.
However, the study of 2,000 adults revealed of these 79 per cent feel they need to exaggerate because they fear they won’t be believed.
In fact, they are most likely to put a particular voice on when playing with children, cracking a joke and giving someone a telling off – while one in 10 even have a job interview voice.
One in four have a unique voice they reserve for their partner's ears only, with 37 per cent describing this as ‘cute’ and 22 per cent say theirs is ‘playful’.
But embarrassingly, nearly half (49 per cent) have accidentally allowed their private voices to slip out in public.
Brits are most likely to bring out these unique voices for pets and babies – and when speaking to a tot, 54 per cent communicate in that way to get a smile out of them, while one in three think it’ll help them be understood.
Yet curiously, more than half (58 per cent) have ‘no idea’ where these different tones come from.
And 56 per cent have had their special voices pointed out to them, evoking feelings of happiness (29 per cent) and silliness (28 per cent).
The research was commissioned by Jakemans as part of its campaign to explore the power of the voice and how we use it.
The menthol throat lozenges brand has also teamed up with vocal expert Sue Addlestone, who said: “When communicating with others, we unconsciously adapt the way we speak to mirror the tone and accent of the person we are speaking to.
“We can also make these unconscious changes in different environments, for example: sounding different when talking to a friend in a pub vs. going to a job interview.
“There is a rich variety of vocal tones and accents that people use – and this highlights how powerful a tool the voice is in day-to-day life and how important these skills are in social and work settings.”
The voice is a powerful tool
The majority, 86 per cent, recognise just how important tone of voice is and will adjust their voice when they are addressing certain situations.
When quizzed on what they believe makes a good voice, clear enunciation (37 per cent), good articulation (36 per cent) and a nice, good tone (35 per cent) were the most popular characteristics.
Nearly one in three (32 per cent) think a good voice should have a silky smoothness to it, while 55 per cent say a nice voice can put them at ease.
The research, carried out via OnePoll, went on to reveal 37 per cent have made efforts to look after their own voice.
With many practicing breathing techniques when talking (21 per cent), avoiding overexerting their voice (20 per cent) and trying not to speak if they feel hoarse (19 per cent).
And when feeling under the weather, drinking plenty of fluid or sucking on a menthol lozenge is the remedy people are most likely to turn to in order to protect their voice.
Yet, as many as 54 per cent claim losing their voice is what made them recognise its importance.
Sue Addlestone added: “Regardless of whether you are feeling poorly, suffering with a hoarse throat or a tickly cough, we should take more care of our voices and treat it just like any other part of the body – we use our voice for so much it is important to look after it.”
Elizabeth Hughes-Gapper from Jakemans said: “We use our voice every day as a communication tool, but it could be said that we take this powerful instrument for granted.
“The research indicates that it’s typically in moments when something is gone or we can’t use it, is when we really realise just what we are missing.
“That’s why it is so important for people to be proactive in caring for their voice and treat it like you would any other part of your body.”
Vocal expert Sue Addlestone’s top tips for looking after voices
- Wear a scarf if you are going from hot to cold environments.
- Staying hydrated – particularly indoors as central heating can dry out the vocal cords.
- Keeping healthy and exercising regularly – the more relaxed you feel the easier your voice will be.
