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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
upspeak
less commonlyup–speak
intransitive verb,upspoke
\ˈəp-ˌspōk\ play alsoup–spoke
;upspoken
\ˈəp-ˌspō-kən\ play alsoup–spoken
;upspeaking
alsoup–speaking
;upspeaks
alsoup–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. 1993People Are Reading
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First Known Use of upspeak
1994
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