[KyleGoetz]

I suppose the language board is as good a place as any to ask this.

I've never thought to ask why so many Japanese women (see the lead actress in 誰も知らない, or YUKI) affect high voices, but my wife recently asked again, so I decided to ask where I thought people might know and be honest.

I don't want some third-rate hypothesis by a Japanese major, either: I can come up with simple hypotheses like "oh, cuz of kawaii culture" or "Japanese men are pedophiles," but those are neither satisfying explanations nor trustworthy in and of themselves.

I want to know a real answer, not come up with guesses myself that just sound right.

I figure there's some sort of studies that have actually been done on this. I googled, but only found guys asking the same question as me and joking about anime and crap like that.

In any case, I hope this is language-related enough to stay on this board.