vocal inflection
Tone of speech
Vocal inflection is variation in pitch, tone, or emphasis when speaking.
Rising inflection turns statements into questions.
Falling inflection signals finality.
Skilled speakers use inflection to convey emotion, hold attention, or signal irony: His vocal inflection made it clear he was joking.
Flat or monotone delivery lacks inflection.
Also called simply inflection.
- drawlUnhurried, elongated speech pattern
- intonationPitch variation in speech
- prosodyStudy of verse rhythm
- singsongRhythmically monotonous speech
- pitchFrequency of sound
sarcasm · uptalk · valley girl · resonance · accent · speech pattern · cadence · shout · lilt · register · stress · hesitation · enunciation · timbre · whisper · sneer · mumble · mutter
- impersonationscelebrity impressions, caricature, character work, sound-alike, look-alike
- spoken languagespeech, spoken word, pronunciation, accent, dialect