I really am super impressed. But sometimes, when they open their mouths, they don’t sound very impressive. In fact, they sound like teenagers and Valley Girls. I have a problem with their lilting speech and the way the end every sentence with a question mark. It makes them sound less than impressive, and it makes me doubt everything they say. Assertions should be, well, assertive. I recently learned, from the comics no less, that this is known as upspeak. But having a name for it makes it no less annoying.
I think our high schools and universities should make speech classes a graduation requirement. Students should get points deducted for every rising inflection in their oral presentations. In corporations, new employee orientation should include a public service film on this annoying habit.
I may not know what I’m talking about? But at least I sound like I do?