Wednesday, June 20, 2018

Yanny v. Laurel

I’ve finished reviewing the ARC proofs of Designed For Haunting and I’ve started on Ghosts of Painting Past. My life right now consists of that plus figuring out promotional events for when Designed launches October 9th. And, honestly, I’m a bit tired of it all. So I’ve decided to think about something else.

Do you all remember the gold vs. blue dress controversy awhile back? Here’s the photo that went viral and caused all sorts of discussion over what color the dress really is. https://www.cnn.com/2015/02/26/us/blue-black-white-gold-dress/index.html

I, myself, see gold and white in this particular picture. I know some people who swear it’s blue and black. You wouldn’t think a picture would be so controversial, would you? How can that happen? you ask. Here’s an article on the science behind it all and why some people see one thing and some another.

According to it, my brain was confused and working overtime. Since my brain usually feels like it’s working overtime, I’m not all that surprised

The latest in these things appears to be the Yanny vs. Laurel audio clip that’s been going around. Listen and see what you hear:

So, which is it for you? I clearly hear Laurel and, when I was watching The Ellen DeGeneres Show, that seems to have been what the majority of audience members heard also.

Here’s an explanation of that one from CNN: https://www.cnn.com/2018/05/15/health/yanny-laurel-audio-social-media-trnd/index.html

Another explanation I read said that what you hear depends on your age. Someone processed the audio recording so you could hear both Yanny and Laurel.

None of this really matters, of course, unless you think about how witnesses to crimes can say they saw or heard very different things. Makes you wonder, doesn’t it?

9 comments:

  1. Okay, I'll start.
    Blue and Brown.

    As for Yanni v Laurel. I hear Yanni. But then a friend played it at dinner (because we didn't have enough going on in the news to create indigestion) and I was stunned to hear Laurel. Once. I accused her of playing the Laurel version to psych me out. But she played it again and it went back to Yanni.

    What each of us heard (50/50 once my brain reset itself) crossed generation lines, sex lines and LGBT lines. (Although the ones who heard Laurel are related by blood.)

    I swear, if I hadn't heard Laurel that one time, I'd still believe it was all some dangerous divisive hoax.

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  2. Thanks for weighing in, Susan. You're only the second person I've heard of that heard both Yanny and Laurel at different times. It's all very interesting.

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  3. Blue and brown. Clearly laurel.

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  4. What's so interesting is that everyone is so sure of what they hear and see, me included. Thanks for weighing in, Janet.

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  5. White and gold. Laurel. Even my husband, who has selective hearing, says it's laurel. I consider anything we both agree on to be the definitive answer!:)

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  6. Thanks for participating, Vickie. I haven't asked my husband what he sees or hears. Don't know why. Must do that.

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  7. Definitely blue and brown. But when it comes to yanni - laurel, my husband and I agree it isn't either and don't understand why anyone would think it was. Anyone out there agree?

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  8. Interesting, Aline. I haven't heard of anyone saying it's neither one. It's an American accent. Would that make a difference to you?

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  9. I don't think so - people in this country talk about yanni-laurel too. Maybe we just have funny ears!

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