Comments on: Kilgore speaks on Kilgore speaking. http://waldo.jaquith.org/blog/2005/02/kilgore-on-kilgore/ Fri, 19 Mar 2010 15:22:03 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Waldo Jaquith http://waldo.jaquith.org/blog/2005/02/kilgore-on-kilgore/#comment-521 Waldo Jaquith Wed, 02 Mar 2005 19:34:14 +0000 http://waldo.jaquith.org/blog/2005/02/kilgore-on-kilgore/#comment-521 You're absolutely right. Partisanship, I suspect, played a role in keeping me from noticing that. Gore was widely perceived as "weak," and I don't doubt that played an important role in that perception. You’re absolutely right. Partisanship, I suspect, played a role in keeping me from noticing that. Gore was widely perceived as “weak,” and I don’t doubt that played an important role in that perception.

]]> By: Janis Jaquith http://waldo.jaquith.org/blog/2005/02/kilgore-on-kilgore/#comment-520 Janis Jaquith Wed, 02 Mar 2005 16:23:43 +0000 http://waldo.jaquith.org/blog/2005/02/kilgore-on-kilgore/#comment-520 Al Gore has a lot of the same speech characteristics -- and I'm not talking about regional accent. He's got the unexpectedly-high pitch, the wide-ranging modulation (excessive differentiation between soft and loud syllables), the hint of a lisp. Years ago (well, it was 1976) when I was studying linguistics, socio-linguist William Labov mentioned to our class that someone should do a thesis on the speech of male homosexuals, then added that the subject was so politically charged that no one would dare to do it. Which makes me wonder whether such a study has been done in the ensuing 29 years. (The 3rd rail of linguistics?!) What would be particularly interesting is the effect such speech patterns have on men (candidates for office, especially) who have these speech patterns, but who are not gay. All through the Gore/Bush campaign, I kept thinking: Where is Henry Higgins when you need him? Al Gore has a lot of the same speech characteristics — and I’m not talking about regional accent. He’s got the unexpectedly-high pitch, the wide-ranging modulation (excessive differentiation between soft and loud syllables), the hint of a lisp.

Years ago (well, it was 1976) when I was studying linguistics, socio-linguist William Labov mentioned to our class that someone should do a thesis on the speech of male homosexuals, then added that the subject was so politically charged that no one would dare to do it.

Which makes me wonder whether such a study has been done in the ensuing 29 years. (The 3rd rail of linguistics?!) What would be particularly interesting is the effect such speech patterns have on men (candidates for office, especially) who have these speech patterns, but who are not gay.

All through the Gore/Bush campaign, I kept thinking: Where is Henry Higgins when you need him?

]]> By: Jon http://waldo.jaquith.org/blog/2005/02/kilgore-on-kilgore/#comment-516 Jon Mon, 28 Feb 2005 16:40:41 +0000 http://waldo.jaquith.org/blog/2005/02/kilgore-on-kilgore/#comment-516 This is the first time I've heard him. First impression: Al Franken's "Stuart Smalley." Is Kilgore a caring nurturer? This is the first time I’ve heard him. First impression: Al Franken’s “Stuart Smalley.”

Is Kilgore a caring nurturer?

]]> By: Waldo Jaquith http://waldo.jaquith.org/blog/2005/02/kilgore-on-kilgore/#comment-512 Waldo Jaquith Mon, 28 Feb 2005 03:01:18 +0000 http://waldo.jaquith.org/blog/2005/02/kilgore-on-kilgore/#comment-512 Of course, I've got no idea of the man's sexuality (what with the wife and kids, there's every reason to assume that he's straight [<a href="/blog/2004/09/schrocks-talk/" rel="nofollow">ObSchrockLink</a>]), but, that said, yes, he sounds like a parody of a stereotypical gay man. Of course, I’ve got no idea of the man’s sexuality (what with the wife and kids, there’s every reason to assume that he’s straight [ObSchrockLink]), but, that said, yes, he sounds like a parody of a stereotypical gay man.

]]> By: bugstomper http://waldo.jaquith.org/blog/2005/02/kilgore-on-kilgore/#comment-511 bugstomper Sun, 27 Feb 2005 21:54:37 +0000 http://waldo.jaquith.org/blog/2005/02/kilgore-on-kilgore/#comment-511 Can you say gay? Can you say gay?

]]> By: Mike Slaven http://waldo.jaquith.org/blog/2005/02/kilgore-on-kilgore/#comment-507 Mike Slaven Sun, 27 Feb 2005 04:46:49 +0000 http://waldo.jaquith.org/blog/2005/02/kilgore-on-kilgore/#comment-507 Yes, it would be bad political strategy to skip radio interviews altogether, but after hearing that I'm still surprised his campaign agrees to any. Wow. Yes, it would be bad political strategy to skip radio interviews altogether, but after hearing that I’m still surprised his campaign agrees to any. Wow.

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