Females are adopting a croaky drawl known as ‘vocal fry’ and showcased by the likes of many US celebrities including reality TV stars the Kardashian family.

女性如今都愛(ài)拉長(zhǎng)調(diào)子用沙啞的聲音說(shuō)話，俗稱“氣泡音”。許多美國(guó)名人都這么說(shuō)話，包括真人秀明星卡戴珊姐妹。

Their voices are also getting lower thanks to the linguistic phenomenon - perhaps reflecting the need to compete with men in the workplace.

這一語(yǔ)言現(xiàn)象還讓這些女性的聲音變得更低沉，也許反映出在職場(chǎng)上和男性競(jìng)爭(zhēng)的需要。

One cultural critic complained that it made young women sound like ‘ducks quacking’.

一位文化評(píng)論家吐槽說(shuō)這種風(fēng)潮讓年輕女孩的聲音聽(tīng)起來(lái)像“鴨子嘎嘎叫”。

Paris Hilton and singers Britney Spears and Katy Perry are among other celebrities who pepper their speech with guttural growls and the style of speaking is becoming increasingly popular in the UK.

帕麗斯•希爾頓、歌手布蘭妮和凱蒂•佩里等名人在說(shuō)話時(shí)都會(huì)時(shí)不時(shí)發(fā)出這種低沉的喉音，這種說(shuō)話風(fēng)格在英國(guó)正變得越來(lái)越流行。

Also known as creaky voice, it involves elongating certain syllables so that they vibrate at the back of the throat, creating a tapping sound like a stick running along a railing.

這種聲音也叫作“緊喉音”，發(fā)音時(shí)拉長(zhǎng)特定音節(jié)，這樣就會(huì)讓喉嚨深處發(fā)出顫音，產(chǎn)生一種像棍子一邊移動(dòng)一邊敲擊欄桿的噠噠聲。

With vocal fry, the phrase ‘no way’ becomes ‘no waaaaaaay’ and ‘whatever’ turns into ‘whateverrrrrr’.

用“氣泡音”說(shuō)話，短語(yǔ)no way(絕不)就變成了no waaaaaaay，whatever(無(wú)論什么)就變成了whateverrrrrr。

Louisiana State University researchers said that women think that lower voices make them seem more masculine and so better able to take on men in the workplace.

路易斯安那州立大學(xué)的研究人員稱，女性認(rèn)為低沉的聲音讓她們聽(tīng)上去更陽(yáng)剛，這樣才能更好地在工作中與男性競(jìng)爭(zhēng)。

However, while the vocal quirk hasn’t done Kim Kardashian’s career any harm, many believe it carries negative connotations.

不過(guò)，雖然這種嘎嘎嗓沒(méi)有給金•卡戴珊的事業(yè)造成任何損害，但許多人認(rèn)為這種聲音帶有負(fù)面含義。

One study found that women with the speech pattern sound less competent and less employable.

一項(xiàng)研究發(fā)現(xiàn)，這么說(shuō)話的女性聽(tīng)起來(lái)能力較差，而且較不適宜被雇用。

The Society of Teachers of Speech and Drama has gone so far as to describe it as a speech impediment.

演講及戲劇教師協(xié)會(huì)甚至將其稱作一種語(yǔ)言障礙。

Chairman Cally Foster said: ‘It seems extraordinary that, having fought hard for the right to be heard, women risk not being listened to, or taken seriously, by adopting a speech impediment - one that is at best laughable, at worst vocally damaging.’

該協(xié)會(huì)主席卡莉•福斯特說(shuō)：“這看起來(lái)真讓人匪夷所思。女性費(fèi)力爭(zhēng)取了這么多年，就為了讓自己的聲音能被聽(tīng)到，而現(xiàn)在女性卻時(shí)興這種語(yǔ)言障礙，這將讓女性面臨得不到傾聽(tīng)或認(rèn)真對(duì)待的風(fēng)險(xiǎn)。這種語(yǔ)言障礙往最好的方面說(shuō)就是可笑，往最差的方面說(shuō)則會(huì)損害聲帶。”