paralanguage

(noun)

The non-verbal elements of speech used to modify meaning and convey emotion, such as pitch, volume, and intonation.

Related Terms

Examples of paralanguage in the following topics:

  • The Importance of Language

    • Speech contains nonverbal elements known as paralanguage, including voice quality, rate, pitch, volume, and speaking style, as well as prosodic features such as rhythm, intonation, and stress.

  • Rate

    • Rate is part of the paralanguage of speech along with loudness and pitch.

  • Dialect and Vocal Variety

    • Vocalics, or paralanguage, is one way we communicate orally, but vocalics is nonverbal.
    • All of these vocal changes in paralanguage help you emphasize what is more important compared to another part that is less important.