up·speak
| \ ˈəp-ˌspēk
\
\
variants:
or less commonly up-speak
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
Other Words from upspeak
upspeak
or less commonly up-speak intransitive verb
upspoke\
ˈəp-ˌspōk
\ also up-spoke; upspoken\
ˈəp-ˌspō-kən
\ also up-spoken; upspeaking also up-speaking; upspeaks also up-speaks
\ also up-spoke; upspoken\
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
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Cite this Entry
“Upspeak.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/upspeak. Accessed 9 Mar. 2021.
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The first known use of upspeak was in 1994
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