On online handles

[athenaltena]

So I was talking with my dad over lunch and I realized something interesting: As a couple of you might know, I go by Rose online but my real name is Rosemary, and for some reason it's just never felt right to use Rosemary in internet activities. I thought about it for a bit, and then I realized that the two names have someone different connotations to them. Rose is shorter and (to me) a bit more agressive sounding, and my online "voice" is a bit more agressive than my real life personality and doesn't have the same subtlety or shyness. Rosemary I think sounds softer somehow, like the "mary" gives it a different edge and somehow conceals the sharpness a bit. Granted, according to my dad I'm a "iron fist in a velvet glove" *or my varient "a blade wrapped in velvet", kudos if you know where that's from ;)* but in real life the velvet is more visible than the blade even as you can feel the blade through the cloth (paraphrasing a friend).

It could be because through online communication, not being face to face, some of the real life subtlety I have (the "velvet") doesn't come through as strongly and more of my brashness (the "blade") is visible. Though I act hyper online I very rarily do that in reality (not that the internet isn't reality, it's just a different type) and I think is an outlet for that part of me which is often not appropriate to show or feels uncomfortable to express.

And a quick question to you folks out there: When you read my writing, what type of "voice" do you hear? This may not apply to other people, but I oftentimes hear a voice when reading someone's writing, usually male or female and sometimes with an accent. Purely out of curiosity, what do I "sound" like?

*Addition* And does the icon seem to effect it in any way?

Comments

[kawakiisakazuki.livejournal.com]

I think I also associate some kind of "voice" with lj friends, but now that I try to consciously think about it, I'm having a very hard time to pin it down - probably because it isn't actually a voice, but some kind of abstract construct that isn't quite equivalent to a voice. I'd say probably female-ish, tomboy-ish, serious and rather quiet.

I don't think the icon affects it much anymore, although it probably did have an influence early on...

[iamasalmonscarf.livejournal.com]

I read your livejournal from a really interesting perspective because I also know you in real life. I would say that your online self is definitely more confident and outspoken, but when you're in an environment where you feel comfortable, you're the same in real life. Less talkative, though. Hmmm...*ponders*

[le-section-8.livejournal.com]

Roughly speaking, I imagine you sound like the English voice actress for Ryoko in Tenchi Muyo: slightly agressive, vaguely peeved and exhasperated. (Don't take it the wrong way, I've got a pretty limited stable of narrators in my head.)

And yes, the icon does have a lot to do with it. The whole "ugh, what a day, what d'you want" expression in your default icon, y'know.

Oh, and everyone's more aggressive online. Text has no tact.

[athenaltena.livejournal.com]

Huh. I've never thought of my default picture that way. I remember liking it due to the fact it looks like my alter-ego so to speak and has a certain "wise ass" look to it.