People have tons of different speech patterns. They're really hard to think of them off the top of your head for new characters though.
Ever notice that one public speaker that can't stop saying "um?" Or the little cousin you have that says, "like" every other word? And all of us know-- or are-- that person who can use the F-Bomb as a verb, interjection, and adjective in every sentence.Your assignment: Make a list of different speech patterns you hear around you.
Talk to your family. Talk to the friends you pretend to like. Evesdrop on people. (Evesdropping is a great tool for writers, just FYI.)
I used to have a teacher that said "Curious" whenever something didn't make sense. I have a friend that says "Frack." Some people add plurals to things that aren't plural.
Speech patterns aren't narrowed down to just phrases or single words used in a sentence. Yoda had that whole word dyslexia thing going on. I tend to use improper grammar and verb tenses on purpose. (If you've met me, you've probably heard me say, "There you is!")
Speech patterns are a great way to make your characters come alive. Make a list and then use it!
Bwuahaha, I love eavesdropping! It's a great way to spark ideas for dialogue and accents. :P
ReplyDeleteMy piano teacher always says the word "Fine" after I play a segment of music. O.o It's strange. And my Calculus teacher LOVES using the word "Aight."
I see what you mean about speech patterns. :) Great tool for characterization.