Posted by Excalibur on October 21, 2001 at 08:31:30:
In Reply to: mental voices posted by Bartholomew on October 20, 2001 at 13:05:52:
: Normally I don't think or read with any mental voice at all. I get the syllables in my head without "hearing" them (or seeing them). I'm not really sure how to describe it, but I'm sure most of you know what I mean.
: However, if I listen for any length of time to anyone with a self-assured voice, I start to think and read in their voice. It's infuriating, it slows down my thinking/reading (because I have to process each sound), and it takes a while to wear off. Any attempts to replace the person's voice with my own are unsuccessful; I don't normally think with a voice, I don't really listen to myself speak out loud either, and the other person's voice is already in my head so it's harder to get another one in. I actually forget the sound of my voice.
: It does not happen with people who have weak or timid voices. If the person doesn't sound confident, there is no problem.
: Have you experienced this?
I had an extremely annoying friend who would pester me about things, repeating my name over and over again. Occasionally at night i would stay awake from his voice, over and over, as he constantly asked the endless question.... but that was probably just a personal freakish mental disorder :)
More to your point, when i visited America this year I found i would think and read in an American accent, either through my own voice or others around me. I found it very interesting and amusing.
Ex