"Commander Kinsey" wrote in message
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Why do some people raise their voice at the end of every sentence? It
sounds like they're asking a question. Glaswegians and Australians are
particularly bad for it. Are they unsure of everything they say and are
seeking confirmation?

I think a sentence like "I saw Helen (?) in Tesco (?) and she said that she
and James (?) were expecting a baby." (where "(?)" denotes a rising tone)
there is an implied "You know Helen, don't you?", "You know where Tesco is,
don't you?" and "You've met James, haven't you?" - as if the speaker is
constantly seeking confirmation that the listener knows who/what the speaker
is talking about.

It's referred to as "up-talk" (because the pitch goes up at the end of each
clause/sentence) and it's said to have come across to the UK either from
West Coast USA or from Australian soaps such as Neighbours.