PARALINGUISTIC MEANS IN ORAL COMMUNICATION

This article examines the role of paralinguistic features in oral communication, emphasizing their combined impact on interlocutors, which is often difficult to convey in written language. It explores the significance of vocalic and suprasegmental means such as speech tempo, volume, timbre, pausing, and articulation clarity. It highlights how speech tempo is inherently uneven and influenced by both individual and situational factors, including the speaker’s emotional state. Additionally, the article discusses how linguistic compression (e.g., contractions and reductions in English) affects speech perception, particularly for non-native speakers.