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Voice and Emotion

In fact, unlike other aspects of language prosody is universal. Emotional intonations are similar across all cultures. (Look at research done by Azia-Sadeh) I believe that some of the problems that people are having today with social interactions via email, text, Facebook and other similar mediums in the lack of the the access to Prosody and with the cell phone conversation that loss of quality sound makes it more difficult to read all of paralanguage. I have the new Iphone. And though I tell my friends if my Iphone could cuddle on the coach I would date it, the truth is I find the sound quality poor and have experienced frustration listening to people on the Iphone and not being able to read them accurately. In fact, I find I am interrupting friends asking if they are "still there." because I can't hear one of the most important factors of turn taking, breathing.


When I coach executives on public speaking skills we discuss the importance of communicating emotions. Reading notes or PowerPoint slides or any kind of list such a bullet pointed lists on a slide automatically make your voice go monotone.Creating a unemotional voice, boring and because emotions are one of the strongest links to memory, unmemorable!

Patti Wood, MA, Certified Speaking Professional The Body Language Expert Web- http://www.PattiWood.netI have a new quiz on my YouTubestation. Check it out!YouTube- YouTube - bodylanguageexpert's Channel

Your Voice Communicates Emotions Through Paralanguage, Dogs Understand Our Nonverbal Cues

People and to Dogs, What is Paralanguage?
Understanding the "tone" of someone’s speech well is related to your ability to be empathetic.

The variance in pitch and rhythm of the voice called prosody (a subset of paralanguage) conveys emotion in the voice. Because dogs are unusually adept at reading human body language and paralanguage they understand what you prosody is saying. You may have experienced that when praising or chastising your dog. If you say, "bad boy." to a dog using a loving happy voice your dog will probably respond as if you have praised him, by coming in closer to you, wagging his tail and or licking your face. Just as saying "You are a great dog" in a loud, mean, strident, attacking voice may make cause your dog to retreat and or crouch low and bring down his head. The pitch and rhythm of the voice can affect how your dog responds to you.
Prosody is not only the way dogs understand and read emotions, human also understand the emotions communicated through prosidy.




Patti Wood, MA, Certified Speaking Professional The Body Language Expert Web- http://www.PattiWood.netI have a new quiz on my YouTubestation. Check it out!YouTube- YouTube - bodylanguageexpert's Channel