Why auctioneer talk fast

Auctioneers appear in movies, TV shows and more, often because they sound, to be blunt, funny. This fast-talking way of selling goods has a name for it: auctioneer chant.

Why do auctioneers use this chant, though, and how does it work? We broke down this odd linguistic phenomenon. If you watch the clip above, it may at first sound like complete gibberish. It should be noted, though, that this guy is a fast-talking champion, so he may be a tad faster than the average auctioneer. The most important pieces of information contained in the auctioneer chant are the two numbers: one that is the current bid, and one that is the amount someone would need to bid in order to become the highest bidder.

Between a story of a young auctioneer coming of age, Van Dyke does show off some real auctioneering and you can find the full lyrics here. Start by chanting pairs of numbers in ascending order 1, 1, 2, 2, 3, 3, etc. When you can work in conversational banter without breaking your rhythm or losing track of the count, you've got it down. Take brief, shallow breaths at regular periods in between the bid calls. Avoid difficult sounds that strain your throat, like K or a hard G.

The pros keep their vocal cords loose by chanting in the shower or in the car on the way to a show. Tongue-twisters are a great way to stay in shape. Try this one: A big black bug bit a big black bear.

Say it faster and faster, but keep a steady rhythm, holding the final syllable for an extra beat before starting again. A professional must also learn how to squeeze out every last dollar from a sale.

If two people are bidding each other up, for example, a good auctioneer will start talking directly to them, cocking his head back and forth and gesturing to them as he urges them on. The sense of competition is thought to move people past their predetermined price limits. No one knows exactly when auctioneers started talking that way although the National Auctioneers Association has made a serious effort to investigate the question.

Public auctions have been around since well before the nation's founding but became very common during the Civil War, when military officers unloaded seized property to the highest bidder. That's why today's auctioneers sometimes bear the title "Colonel. The article continued, "The speed is also intended to give the buyers a sense of urgency: Bid now or lose out.

And it doesn't hurt the bottom line, either. Auctioneers typically take home from 10 to 20 percent of the sale price. Selling more items in less time means they make more money. Dude, auctioneers talk fast. They sound like robots or something. Your best bet is to hit up the National Auctioneers Association in order to start your career in a very specific brand of tongue-twisting sales.

Do auctioneers talk fast to scare you or is there some actual reasoning? These highly specialized schools can also teach a person how to operate their own auctioning business, how to facilitate sales contracts, and how to establish connections with other auctioneers. So if it was always your dream to call on people to compete with their dollars, you may want to hit up one of these programs.