ProsodicsLO: to develop our understanding about how sounds are used to create meaning

Starter: In pairs, discuss these issues that were raised by Naomi Wolf and Deborah Cameron in the articles you read for homework.

• What is vocal fry? (Can you do it?)

• Why does it make women sound ‘less competent, less trustworthy, less educated and less hireable’?

• What is ‘uptalk’? Why is this speech pattern also seen as controversial?

• What reasons do some women give for using particular speech patterns?

• What reasons does Naomi Wolf give for persuading women to alter the way they speak?

• What does Deborah Cameron say about the origins of phenomena such as ‘vocal fry’ and uptalk?

• What does Cameron suggest about the inconsistencies of the criticisms of these vocal phenomena?

• In what ways is ‘policing’ women’s language like the beauty industry?

Thinking forward: these issues are also relevant to ‘Language and Gender’ which we will explore next

term.

Prosodics is a non-verbal way of creating meaning• Prosodics includes:

• Variations in pitch and intonation (uptalk and vocal fry are examples of this)• Variations in volume• Variations in speed

• What variations do you notice in this clip? Make notes as you watch.

• Why do you think these variations occurred? Consider the context and who the text producers and receivers are.

• What about this speech? In what ways does the context of the speech influence the prosodics here?

Thinking about prosodics in more detail• Different intonation patterns can considerably change meaning. How would

you change the intonation of ‘Well done!’ to sound either sarcastic or genuine?

• Rising intonation is often indicative of questioning, a lack of certainty, or seeking of agreement.• “I loved that film, didn’t you?”• Remember Deborah Cameron? Why are these assumptions about meaning here

dangerous?

• Similarly, the amount of tonal variation in someone’s speech also suggests different things: level of excitement, boredom, sadness etc.

Thinking about prosodics in more detail• Pitch: research has suggested that pitch can also be indicative of

emotional state• A slow and lower, falling pitch might be indicative of sadness or depression

• Pace: consider Obama’s speech. His slow, measured pace conveys calmness and reassurance – a vital message to give as a newly-elected president! Fast, muddled speech, by contrast, may suggest anxiety or panic.

Thinking about prosodics in more detail• Pauses: may reflect a number of things!

• They are a natural part of unplanned, natural speech!• They might suggest awkwardness between participants and could even be

menacing.• Most obviously, they may suggest uncertainty.

• Volume: loudness often reflects status, as superiors would be more likely to raise their voices to subordinates (consider a teacher in a classroom).

• Stress: we put stresses on particular words in order to emphasise them.

Thinking about prosodics in more detail• Prosodics may also (perhaps unfairly/unintentionally) convey messages about personality.

• Extroverts, for example, tend to speak more loudly and more rapidly than others, and often at a higher pitch and with fewer pauses.

• Others may see this as assertive and it is often associated with competence.

• ‘Type A’ personalities (driven, ambitious and susceptible to sudden heart attacks!) speak with a loud, fast, ‘explosive’ style (Argyle, 1993).

• Thinking point: why might this be problematic? To what extent can we make these generalisations?

Watch the clips again, this time using your notes to help you delve into more detail.• This clip is Obama’s inauguration speech.

• This speech is Andy Murray’s Wimbledon win.

• Extension: are there problems with the way we are interpreting these speeches? What assumptions might we, as an audience, be making that are erroneous?

Homework

• Next lesson we will be looking at graphology, the study of how layout, space, images, colour and font can help convey meaning.

• Find a text and be ready to talk about it next lesson. Remember to consider:• Layout• Space• Images• Colour• Font

• Advertisements and food wrappers are particularly good for this, but also consider children’s books.