[Turelie]

I speak very quietly, to the point that people will get annoyed and ask me to repeat what I say (which annoys me). If I speak at "normal volume", it feels like I'm half shouting at people, and it feels draining.

I think it partly comes from not wanting to be a nuisance because the more it seems I might annoy a person, the quieter I become.

Is this an ISFP thing, or am I nuts?

 

[RyRyMini]

You're nuts.

Heh, I'm kidding. I've never had any complaints about my speaking voice, although I use the same tone for pretty much everything. I never really yell. Some people just speak quietly, so I guess you could just explain that to people to circumvent the annoyance.

 

[Thrifty Walrus]

Not only do I speak quietly, but I also speak very quickly and mumble. If you've ever heard Jemaine Clement talk, that is kind of what I sound like, except minus the kiwi accent. Actually, some words I sound the same on, mostly short words like yes sounds like yis, and yeah sounds like yeh, etc.

 

[retypepassword]

This used to be a problem for me. I'm not sure when it changed, or how, but it used to be that people couldn't hear anything I said even when they were standing, say, three feet away from me (maybe I'm exaggerating, but they didn't have to stand very far before they found my speech unintelligibly quiet.) And, yeah. Speaking at a normal volume used to really sound like yelling, too!

 

[firedell]

I speak with confidence, I get told off for not knowing the loudness of my voice.

 

[Brie]

For me it depends on my mood or how comfortable I am. I will say though that I get told off by family members for being unintentionally loud more often than I hear anyone complaining that I talk too quietly.

People who don't know me well tend to say/think I'm quiet, because I don't talk much around them.

 

[Outcode]

I have problems with talking too quietly/mumbling and not realizing that I'm talking too loudly. As Brie said, it really depends on my mood and who I'm with.

 

[anagrams]

My husband complains that I speak too quietly and tend to mumble. Then when I try to project my voice to answer his question, he accuses me of yelling at him. Can't win. lol. Both my older sisters have one volume - LOUD. Perhaps I learned to speak quietly because they were always being told to quiet their voices? I tended to watch them closely and learn from their mistakes so I could avoid the same mistakes myself. So, for me, this could be possible. But, it only applies with everyday normal speaking. If I am speaking in front of people or teaching, I use a stronger, more confident voice. It has surprised a few people that were familiar with my everyday speech and mannerisms.

 

[Turelie]

I have problems with talking too quietly/mumbling and not realizing that I'm talking too loudly. As Brie said, it really depends on my mood and who I'm with.

Hmm...I talk too quietly and laugh too loudly. It does depend on who is around.

Perhaps I learned to speak quietly because they were always being told to quiet their voices? I tended to watch them closely and learn from their mistakes so I could avoid the same mistakes myself.

Oh, I do this with many things!

 

[Lord Xephere]

I'm not an ISFP, but I have the same problem. Most of the time I'm very soft-spoken and my family gets annoyed by that when we're ordering food at a restaurant. The thing is that I don't even know that my voice is that quiet. When I try to speak louder, it's really exhausting.

 

[InTuned78]

Wow...i do the same..i mumble a lot around people I dont know, or conversations i dont want to participate in..I think its because I literally dont have the energy to talk about subjects that dont interest me. Great, so its true..I am self absorbed?

 

[letsride]

All through elementary school I spoke very quietly, and always got complaints about it. I finally got tired of the complaining. I think it all changed in a school play in the 8th grade. In rehersals I was so quiet, as usual, but I just decided I wanted to give a great performance, and the night of the play I said my lines so loud. Everybody loved it, so I stuck with it. Over the years it seems to have gotten out of hand, though. . . now I get some complaints that I speak too loudly!

 

[Turelie]

Perhaps it has to do with general introversion since being around people is tiring for the introverted types?

 

[letsmosey]

My problem comes in crowds. Around a lot of people who are all talking it's hard to speak up and be heard. I usually get talked over, then I lose confidence and become quiet again. It's annoying because I rarely have much to say, but when I do I feel it's important.
I think the rest of the time my voice it normal, though if I have to speak more loudly it sounds like I'm angry and I sometimes offend people.

 

[joyrjw]

Wow! I thought I was alone with vocal volume problems. :laughing:

I feel like Austin Powers. :laughing:

I'm sorry, I'm not making fun, I just joke too much.

I tend to speak too softly,mostly because if I speak any louder it hurts my ears and throat and is kind of an effort for me.
When I try to speak louder, it comes out too loud and usually I wind up sounding obnoxious.

When I laugh it's usually too loud,but it's because I really "feel" it.

 

[Treyces]

I too have been told that I speak too quietly/too fast and tend to mumble. My job involves taking information from walk-in customers, and I find it very tiring to speak at what I'm told is normal voice volume. Actually, so much talking is wearisome even at my usual lower volume. I've also noticed a recurring problem when I feel pressured to engage in small talk and its inherent false enthusiasm: I CANNOT make it sound genuine, even to myself. When I try to force the responses (oh how nice, etc.), sometimes I'm not sure if they can even be classified as audible. I've pretty much resigned myself to using nonverbal means when I want to make strangers/acquaintances feel comfortable.

 

[Gorjus]

Oh yea... I am this way when I have to speak to people in public... lol or just being in public in general! I hate speaking loudly, I'm very private and don't like people knowing my business. I also despise yelling, I hate being yelled at and almost never win arguments with someone that's yelling! :frustrating:

 

[alice35]

I do not think I come across at quiet. Usually my voice is quite straightforward but I would hate to think it would sound harsh.

 

[Gwenspirit]

I speak pretty quietly. Normal volume for me is mumbling to everyone else.

Speaking any louder feels like shouting. When I actually shout to be heard in a loud room, I get completely drowned out.

I hate having to repeat everything. :crazy:

 

[IronboundGlobe]

yeah im always speaking kind of low unless there's a momment were i just get excited or happy