THE VARIABLES OF

SPEECH
VOICE
-is the production of sound

SPEECH
- is the combination of sounds so that they become
symbols that represent meanings to both speaker and
listeners.
Four variables of speech:

1. Pitch
2. Quality
3. Force or Intensity
4. Rate or Duration
 PITCH
 The highness or lowness of the voice. It
is determined by the frequency of the
vibrations of the vocal cords; the higher
the frequency , the higher the pitch of the
voice.
Pitch
 A person who is excited or angry
will have a higher pitch level
because emotions could influence
the pitch levels.
Pitch
 A person’s age will also
influence the highness or
lowness of his voice.
 QUALITY

 The predominant timbre or tone

color of the voice. It is what
distinguishes a person’s voice
from another’s.
 CLASSIFICATION OF
VOICE QUALITY
 Aspirate or breathy
 Full or orotund
 Chesty or pectoral
 Thin or falsetto
 Normal
- characterizedby the rushing of air
sustained by a partial vibration of the
vocal cords.

- Often used in stage whispers

Full or orotund voice
 Has the round mouth quality.
The mouth is opened wide and
the oral and nasal resonance are
increased to produce a deep
quality
Chesty or pectoral voice

 A deep hollow voice that seems

to come from a cave or the
grave.
Falsetto
- Thin and high-pitched
Normal voice

 The natural speaking voice

which shows no emotion .
FORCE OR INTENSITY

 The loudness or softness of the

voice. The force with which a
person speaks varies in form and
in degree.
Forms of intensity:

 effusive
 explosive
 expulsive
Effusive
 Gradual but firm application of
force to suggest deep but
restrained feelings
Explosive

 A sudden outburst that

suggests extreme emotions.
Expulsive

 Suggests vigor as it is applied

firmly but rapidly.
 RATE OR DURATION
 Refers to the number of words
uttered per minute. The rate of
speech may vary according to
the mood of the speaker and the
idea being presented.
Rate/ Duration
 An excited person will speak fast
while a person who is
contemplating a problem would
speak more slowly.
Quantity
 Refers to the length of time spent in the actual
utterance of a word. The number and types of
vowel sounds in the speech will spell the
difference in the speed delivery.
e.g. rich - reach
this - these
Pause
 The length of time spent in
silence between words. It may be
long or short depending on the
degree of emphasis that the
speaker wants to give his ideas.
Source:

Delos Reyes, Corazon. (2013). Eloquence in Speech.