"Talking Off" was a condition that was rarely reported (at least in my experience). It occurred when a person's voice had the right (or wrong!) tonal quality that would actually disconnect the circuit.

I saw it most often with women with higher pitched voices and very often it occurred with ancillary equipment, like dictation trunks.

Though we did have one guy with false teeth who, when he got angry the air whistled around the teeth and would disconnect a particular piece of carrier equipment.

Sam

"Where are we going and why are we in this hand basket?"