I'm curious: What does your "inner voice" sound like, to you?

[MTL]

This is very interesting to me.

I think it demonstrates the subtleties the mind is capable of.

When we utilize the phrase "your inner voice" it can have different meanings.

I find it an interesting distinction that reading and thinking in language
seems easier WITHOUT the rather laborious task of "mentally vocalizing" it,
when we could just as easily expend the effort ACTUALLY vocalizing it.

yet, we have the ability to do so,
so it must serve some purpose,
or indicate something about how the mind works.

Just the other day, someone was telling me how certain repetitive behaviors
are stored in the spinal column, and not in the brain, itself....like driving, or walking.

It's why when you ask someone to give you a phone number they are very familiar with,
they suddenly can't tell you, and need to mime with their hand like they're dialing a phone,
because " my fingers know the number...my brain doesn't. "

Perhaps asking the brain to formulate an imaginary voice that bothers to enunciate your thoughts
is a byproduct of how the brain works, but is an unnecessary and cumbersome step, a waste of time and effort:

Like requiring a supercomputer to display every step of a problem-solving process on a screen that no-one is there to read, when the computer doesn't need to take that step in order to solve the problem.

it is interesting to me to speculate that this might tie into the question of "consciousness" and where it is distinct from the grey matter that makes consciousness possible...it's a question that I know Descartes took on, but I keep meaning to read him and haven't yet.

[MTL]

I read your post, for example, and understood it, very quickly;

but I would ask you to now go back, re-read your own post, mentally, to yourself,
but imagine your own voice enunciating the words,
and see if you "hear" it as clearly, or if it takes more effort, than mere reading and comprehension of words.

(You don't have to actually do this, obviously...I'm simply trying to illustrate the distinction of what I mean between the THOUGHT, versus the "mental vocalization" of that same thought).

No, it takes effort to hear it.  It's so unfamiliar it doesn't come out as my voice but as I hear myself when I am speaking, which is different than how my voice sounds to others.  I'm trying to "vocalize" the words in my mind, but it's difficult.  It's easier if I do it in a goofy voice; someone else's voice.  Right now, all my thoughts are vocalizing as the Charlie-In-The-Box from the island of misfit toys.

That is excellent!  What a relevant pic, you found to post!

Thanks for your candor.  So you find the specific effort of "inner vocalizing" a bit cumbersome, too?

Right now, all my thoughts are vocalizing as the Charlie-In-The-Box from the island of misfit toys.

That is hilarious...both because it's ludicrous...and a bit of an obscure reference!

[Foxaèr]

I actually didn't read it in his voice.

[MTL]

Oh, I did!

[Whateverist]

Perhaps asking the brain to formulate an imaginary voice that bothers to enunciate your thoughts
is a byproduct of how the brain works, but is an unnecessary and cumbersome step, a waste of time and effort:

Like requiring a supercomputer to display every step of a problem-solving process on a screen that no-one is there to read, when the computer doesn't need to take that step in order to solve the problem.

Yep.  Well put.

[MTL]

Perhaps asking the brain to formulate an imaginary voice that bothers to enunciate your thoughts
is a byproduct of how the brain works, but is an unnecessary and cumbersome step, a waste of time and effort:

Like requiring a supercomputer to display every step of a problem-solving process on a screen that no-one is there to read, when the computer doesn't need to take that step in order to solve the problem.

Yep.  Well put.

Oh god.  Now I'm reading everything in Morgan Freeman's voice.

[MTL]

Thanks for your replies, All.

I know there are some fine minds on this forum,
so I confess its a bit reassuring to hear similar sentiments echoed back at me.

I figured it was due to nerve damage or a neuroses...or merely being undisciplined on my part.

Still, it's intriguing to me that we are able to do it, when we don't need to do it.

It would be fascinating to know if other animals that use "language" are capable of thinking in their animal "voices"
especially if they are animals know for problem-solving abilities,
like dolphins, chimps, border collies, or magpies.

Obviously they are capable of thought and communication, like us,
but do they have the ability to "mentally vocalize", as we do?

And if Yes, do they ever do so?

And if Yes...what purpose does it serve?

[Excited Penguin]

Well, I hear that meditation can help you get rid of that voice entirely when you practice it and that it's well worth doing so. Sometimes our own unrestrained flow of thoughts can make us miserable.

If I'm being honest I always find that if I use internal vocalization to think I think some really stupid shit by comparison to when I think it without knowing it, so to speak. But maybe there's a balance to be struck here and that's why we can be on different ends of a spectrum on this and face different problems with it. Who knows?

[Whateverist]

It would be fascinating to know if other animals that use "language" are capable of thinking in their animal "voices"
especially if they are animals know for problem-solving abilities,
like dolphins, chimps, border collies, or magpies.

Obviously they are capable of thought and communication, like us,
but do they have the ability to "mentally vocalize", as we do?

And if Yes, do they ever do so?

And if Yes...what purpose does it serve?

My dog growls and barks in her sleep in between chasing and running .. all in a very sleep-restrained way of course.  But it doesn't look as though any animal uses symbolic language except ourselves .. though some are capable of learning parts of it.  I think they are capable of realizing a great deal, but unlike us I don't believe they create a symbolic substitute for the world the way we do with language.  Like them, we have perfectly good pre-human brains and I'm convinced we are as capable as they to move through the world purposefully and effectively without ever narrating our progress to ourselves.  The trick is to save the language for what it does well, convey ideas to other humans.  So, no, I don't think any other animal misapplies symbolic language internally because none of them uses it at all.

[Athene]

My inner voice or internal monologue isn't in full, coherent sentences as if I'm speaking aloud. Words and phrases occur in streams, combined with visualizations. At times I am aware of it, but I would best describe it as more of a background hum. I've always assumed this is normal. 

If not...meh. Whatever.