Why do certain ethnic groups sound the way they do?

Question

i'm not saying all, but certain groups have a distinctive sound. I know you can change it, but is the sound that comes out of their mouth genetic or culturally shaped? how are the different groups different? do they have something physically different? what's different? like the physical scientific reason? do they have longer or shorter something in their throats or vocal chords.

i sound like emperor palpatine from starwars. but you wouldn't ever figure that by the way i look.

Answer 1

No, it is not based on physical characteristics. Physical characteristics can affect a person's voice (like, for example, men usually have deeper voices than women because they have longer vocal tracts) but in the case of your question the answer is different.

First, it might be because the people are non-native speakers of English and they have an accent as a result.

Second, different people speak differently because of their background and because they want to be identified with a certain group. For example, people who come from the northeastern United States speak differently from people in the West because that's the way people speak where they come from. People from England speak differently from people in the United States, and so forth. There are many, many different dialects and accents, each one belonging to a particular group and used by people of that group.

PBS had a documentary on this topic a few years ago that you might want to see. It was called "Do You Speak American?" It's not the greatest, but introduces some of the major issues. Hopefully you can get the DVD at your local library. In this movie, for example, you'll see a black man who can make himself sound like people from many different backgrounds.

There's actually a whole field of linguistics that studies these differences between dialects, and how they change over time It's called sociolinguistics. Study a little linguistics if you'd like to learn more!

Answer 2

Toniann your comment is retarded and stupid and so racist what you said. That was the most retarded thing I ever read up here, what are you 12? 11 perhaps? People from China, or Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Mexico, and all over are just as beautiful and unique. You must be referring to Italians being beautiful as well because they are a mixed people, mixed with Arab, Spanish, Gypsy, and many other things. As I am a proud beautiful Egyptian woman. You need more exposure and facial surgery because you are so ugly and I doubt you are "European"...your just a wannabe now go home and cry to your momma.

Answer 3

Ok. It's a mixture of both genetics and culture. Being blk staying in here in South, you hear all sorts of "tones". But, they are shaped my our surrounding you know? There are many factors that shape our voice and sound. It was a very good question and I love the fact that you're curious about other cultures.

Answer 4

Mainly it is the place they came from. Some languages are different. And that will be the reason they sound different. Some have the raising they got from their family and that shows up as they grow up. And the main thing is where they came from, like are they Muslim or such like that.

Answer 5

Yeah, I definately notice that difference too, it seemed like black's voice is very smoother, thicker than whites. Asians sound shorter, and pitch is much higher than both black and white, I think it's their length and thickness of their vocal cords or it's in the genes.

Answer 6

That`s the great thing about being different. no one is greater than the next person.

Answer 7

a particular race of women croak like frogs.
like oh my god becky.

Answer 8

thats what makes us all different.