By 19ES06 Syed Sajjad Ali

PARALINGUISTICS
• Paralinguistic is the study of non-verbal clues of the
voice.
• It is a component of Non-verbal
communication because it is not related
to content or verbal messages.
• It is about how something is said rather than what
is said.
• This includes Volume, Speed of voice, Intonation,
Tone, etc .
• We can cay that paralinguistics refers to the study of
human voice and how words are spoken.
 Clues/Features of
Paralinguistics :
• Volume of voice
• Speed of voice
• Intonation
• Tone
• Pronunciation
• Articulation
• Pause
 Volume of voice :
•When we whisper something, it conveys that we want to
hide something. When speaking something aloud, we
want it to be heard by all.

•While addressing an audience, if our volume is not loud

enough, it shows lack of confidence or shyness.

•While talking to someone on phone, if we speak loudly

then it shows our lack of good manners and etiquette.

•Therefore we should vary our volume depending upon the

situation.
 Speed of
voice :
•The speed of voice should be such that the listener
can follow everything that we are speaking.

•If we speak very fast, the listener might not be able connect
the previous idea with the next one. Similarly, if the speed is
very slow then also it is likely that listener will lose the
connection.

•A well-paced speech suggest enthusiasm, self-assurance and

awareness of the audience.
 Intonation :
•Intonation means variation of voice or speech.

•It tells the listener if the message is in form of a question,

statement or exclamation.

 Tone of voice :
•The Tone tells about the attitude of the speaker.
•The tone can be sarcastic, aggressive, nervous, disappointed,
friendly, or enthusiastic, .
 Pronunciation :
•Pronunciation is the way in which a word is pronounced.
•Pronunciation is the first thing that people notice during
conversation. For good pronunciation, A person should know
the difference in the pronunciation of various sounds.
 Articulation :
•Articulation is the clarity of our voice.

•We should speak in such a way that all the words are
understood by the listener. If we speak sloppily or
mispronounce the words, the flow of understanding gets
interrupted.
 Pause:
The break a person takes while speaking is known as
Pause.

A Pause can have two different functions:

It can indicate the speaker’s uncertainty, hesitation,

tension or uneasiness.

It can also show favour or disfavour, Agreement or

Disagreement.
• This was all about Paralinguistic. According to O’Neill, up
to 70% of communication is done through paralanguage.

• Paralinguistic is said to be so important because people

are less likely to lie or try to cover up emotions due to the
difficulty in doing so.
Gesture:
• Gesture is a form of non-verbal communication in
which visible bodily actions communicate particular
messages, either in place of speech or together with
words.

• Gestures include movement of the hands, face, or

other parts of the body.

• Gestures are very important because they are used to

emphasize the verbal message and holds the
attention of the listener.
Types of Gestures:
1. Emblems: Emblems are gestures that can easily be
translated into words.
•They act like fixed phrases and don’t depend on

speech.
•Emblems can be still or in motion.

For example:
•waving to say hello or good-bye.
•Rolling your hands over and over in front of you says

Move on.
Types of Gestures:
2. Adaptors: Adaptors are gestures that result from
anxiety, uneasiness, or a general sense that we are not
in control of our surroundings.
For example:
•Many of us unintentionally click pens, shake our legs,

or engage in other adaptors during classes or

meetings.
•Some other adaptors are tapping a pencil, drumming

one’s fingers and adjusting clothes.

Types of Gestures:
3. Illustrators: Illustrators are the most common type
of gesture and are used to illustrate the verbal
message they accompany.
•Unlike emblems, illustrators do not typically have

meaning on their own.

For example:
• We might use hand gestures to indicate the size or

shape of an object.
•We use illustrators while talking on the phone even

though the listener can’t see us.

THE END