Definition of upspeak
: uptalk
- Speak with confidence. Lots of people have speech patterns that convey uncertainty. Eliminate upspeak—giving the last syllable a higher inflection.
- —Kathryn Rem, The State Journal-Register (Springfield, Illinois), 21 June 1998
- … the giddy upspeak of the L.A. Basin (Hi? My name is Mary?) …
- —Mary McNamara, Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2000
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upspeak
or less commonly up-speak intransitive verb upspoke play \ˈəp-ˌspōk\ also up-spoke; upspoken play \ˈəp-ˌspō-kən\ also up-spoken; upspeaking also up-speaking; upspeaks also up-speaks-
- There's this linguist? Cynthia McLemore? Who studied female students at the University of Texas? Who up-speak a lot? And she found out that up-talk may very well serve a useful purpose. All those up inflections? They draw attention to what one says, McLemore claims.
- —Bonnie McGrath, Chicago Tribune, 28 Nov. 1993
