Relatives who sound alike
By worldwise1
@worldwise1 (14885)
United States
July 21, 2009 3:35pm CST
I just had a very strange thing happen to me. Two of my granddaughters (who happen to be sisters) sound very much alike to the point that when they call I often have to ask which of them I am talking to. The older girl called for her mother, and I told her that she was outside and I would tell her to return her call when she comes in. Several seconds later the phone rang again. When I answered I assumed it was the same granddaughter. I asked her if the message was important that she wanted to relate to her mother. She then asked me which message I was referring to. Then I told her that I figured it must be important for her to call back immediately for her mother. I realized my error when she informed me that she had not called before. That's when I asked to whom I was speaking.
I had to laugh when I discovered that it was the younger daughter. I told her that she must have thought I was crazy.
I had to laugh when I discovered that it was the younger daughter. I told her that she must have thought I was crazy.7 people like this
17 responses
@Opal26 (17679)
• United States
21 Jul 09
Hey worldwise! I know what you mean! When I used to go visit
my Mom (which I am doing in a few days) and would answer her
phone people would just assume that I was her and start a
conversation with me! I would then have to say that I was
me and not her and they would be so surprised! I don't think
we sound at all alike! But, apparently there are people that
do! I will see if this time her friends still think I am her!
2 people like this
@worldwise1 (14885)
• United States
22 Jul 09
Sometimes, Opal, I believe it is a case of people expecting someone else to respond and automatically assuming that it's them. If you've ever listened to a recording of your voice you just might be surprised that you don't really sound like you think you do. That has happened to me in the past.
@worldwise1 (14885)
• United States
22 Jul 09
It's true, Shaun, that our voices can change as we get older for various reasons.
@gabs8513 (48686)
• United Kingdom
21 Jul 09
My Daughter sounds like me on the Phone lol so many a time we have been mixed up
People are always saying how alike we are
I remember answering her Mobile once, as she asked me to, and her Friend just talked and Talked lol when she had finished she said"You are not saying a lot" I said no, while laughing and said that is because it is not M ,it is me , I have known the Girl since she was 11 lol she started laughing and said Mel sounds so much like you
@worldwise1 (14885)
• United States
22 Jul 09
I would take that as a compliment, gabs.One of my sisters and I used to sound very much alike, and we were often identified wrongly.
One of my sisters and I used to sound very much alike, and we were often identified wrongly.
@sacmom (14192)
• United States
22 Jul 09
Hi worldwise. Isn't it funny how relatives can sound alike?
My own sister and I (me being the younger one) sounded alike when we were growing up. Heck, we even looked a like when we were little. Our mom used to dress us up like twins, even though we're 2 and a half years apart! LOL But that all ended around the time I started to sprout up like a weed, thank goodness! LOL
Anyway, back when we were teenagers a boy had called and asked to speak to my sister. I told him she wasn't home. But he didn't believe me. He thought I was her! To top it, he told me it was her because she doesn't have a sister! I knew better though and the phone call came to an end soon after that. 
My sister and I don't keep in touch (her choice), but I forced myself to call her a few months ago for our mom's sake and man, oh man, I didn't recognize her voice at all. I thought she was a different person! LOL
My own sister and I (me being the younger one) sounded alike when we were growing up. Heck, we even looked a like when we were little. Our mom used to dress us up like twins, even though we're 2 and a half years apart! LOL But that all ended around the time I started to sprout up like a weed, thank goodness! LOL
Anyway, back when we were teenagers a boy had called and asked to speak to my sister. I told him she wasn't home. But he didn't believe me. He thought I was her! To top it, he told me it was her because she doesn't have a sister! I knew better though and the phone call came to an end soon after that.
My sister and I don't keep in touch (her choice), but I forced myself to call her a few months ago for our mom's sake and man, oh man, I didn't recognize her voice at all. I thought she was a different person! LOL1 person likes this
@sacmom (14192)
• United States
22 Jul 09
Who said anything about bridging the gap? LOL Not to sound mean, but I gave up on her a long time ago. 
However, if she wants to strike up a sister relationship with me she is welcomed to do so anytime. It's her choice. 
By the way, is this the same sister who you were contemplating to see at the hospital?
However, if she wants to strike up a sister relationship with me she is welcomed to do so anytime. It's her choice.
By the way, is this the same sister who you were contemplating to see at the hospital?@worldwise1 (14885)
• United States
22 Jul 09
The situation does seem to run in families, sacmom. Also, I am glad you made the effort to bridge the gap between you and sis. I have a similar situation with my sister.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (158680)
• Boise, Idaho
22 Jul 09
My daughter and I sound alot alike I am told. I don't hear it. People that haven't been around us much can't tell which is which when they call or vice versa. Funny situation you had there. I bet if you are around them more you will get the voices down. Guys deep, masculine voices I sure can tell the difference in them. Feminine voices are alittle different.
1 person likes this
@worldwise1 (14885)
• United States
22 Jul 09
Really, celticeagle, I've been around them all of their lives and I still get confused - as does their own mother!
1 person likes this
@clorissa123 (4926)
• United States
21 Jul 09
Sometimes I felt the same, when I speak to my uncle or his son. They are very much sound alike, and they got me confused sometimes. I must ask first who am I speaking to. Otherwise, I will refer it to my cousin instead of uncle.
@worldwise1 (14885)
• United States
22 Jul 09
I guess that from now on, clorissa, I will have to do the same when my granddaughters call.
@GardenGerty (157481)
• United States
22 Jul 09
My younger sister and I sounded a lot alike. So much so that when we were visiting at our mother's house one evening, her boyfriend mistook me for her, and my husband who was a truck driver thought he was talking to me.
1 person likes this
@worldwise1 (14885)
• United States
22 Jul 09
This kind of mix-up can be quite hilarious, GG, especially when we assume that people we come into contact with on a daily basis should always know us by the sound of our voice.
@worldwise1 (14885)
• United States
22 Jul 09
That gives rise to a whole new question, stephcjh, do we really sound different over the phone? I suppose we must.
@caver1 (1762)
• United States
25 Jul 09
We have this problem in my household. My daughter sounds like me on the phone. Even my own mother can tell us apart. My daughter will answer the phone and my mom just starts telling her whatever she needed to tell me. Or my daughters friends will start chatting with me. It can be humourous sometimes.
@dmrone (746)
• United States
21 Jul 09
Hi! I know exactly what you are speaking of, except it is my family who always asks who they are talking to. My father, brothers, and my sister always think they are talking to one of my daughters when they are actually talking to me. They have gone so fas as to say let me speak to you mama, and i had to laugh. I had to tell them they were talking to me, the mama, instead of one of my daughters. They still had a hard time believing it was actually me talking to them.
@worldwise1 (14885)
• United States
22 Jul 09
I used to get that with my ex, dmrone. He would call and ask, put your mother on, when it was me all the time!
@cbeee3 (2061)
• India
22 Jul 09
This is funny yet way too familiar in my case.
My mum, sis and I sound alike.
My maternal uncle and his teenage son sound alike.
My maternal aunt and her daughter sound alike too.
So there is a lot of confusion when we call each other up.@worldwise1 (14885)
• United States
22 Jul 09
It's easy to understand, cbeee, why you all probably need to identify yourselves when you phone one another.
@cchitnarain (136)
• United States
22 Jul 09
Aw. My sister and I sound alike! So everytime someone calls, they ask for the other. We've gotten used to it by now because they've been doing it since we were younger. I don't know how they mistake us sometimes though because I never thought my sister and I sounded exactly alike.
1 person likes this
@worldwise1 (14885)
• United States
22 Jul 09
Just as I commented earlier, cchitnarain, we often are not aware of how we really sound until we listen to a recording of our voice.
@cabz360 (41)
• United States
22 Jul 09
LOL...yup, that happened to me as well...i answered the phone once and thought i was talking with my cousin...so i started being the crazy me how i usually am when talking to a cousin...but then i wondered why he wasn't going along with my jokes...then i realized that i was talking with my uncle...LOL he started laughing at me when he realized i mistook him for someone else...
@worldwise1 (14885)
• United States
22 Jul 09
That's a nice story, cabz, and I think there's also a lesson there somewhere.
@surekharathi (14146)
• India
12 Mar 13
Not only relatives but recently I got the experience two different lady from different city the voice is same and both voice is sweet and both are my friend.
@reinydawn (11643)
• United States
25 Jul 09
My son sounds very much like my brothers - who sound alike on the phone. There have been times when my son has called and I was not sure what he was talking about because I thought he was one of my brothers. Or my brother has called and I didn't understand why he was saying certain things until I figured out it wasn't my son. Yes, it can be a bit embarrassing!
@sarahruthbeth22 (43143)
• United States
23 Jul 09
My mom said that my sister and I sounded the same on the phone. the only way she could tell us apart is that she called her Mumps and I called Shorty.
@thedailyclick (3017)
•
22 Jul 09
I have this all the time with my sister and her two daughters, they all sound the same to me when speaking on the phone. The worse thing is they get annoyed if I ask which one I am speaking too and insulted if I don't ask but call them by the wrong name, it's a lose lose situation, lol.
I often get it happening to me, when one of my aunts or uncles phone up they always mistake me for my dad.
