Pitch: The highness or lowness of a person's voice.

Example: A high-pitched scream indicates fear or excitement, while a low-pitched voice may convey seriousness or authority.

Volume: The loudness or softness of speech.

Example: Whispering can suggest secrecy or intimacy, while shouting may indicate anger or urgency.

Rate: The speed at which someone speaks.

Example: Rapid speech can denote excitement or nervousness, while slow speech might indicate thoughtfulness or boredom.

Prosody: The rhythm, melody, and intonation patterns in speech.

Example: Rising intonation at the end of a sentence can turn a statement into a question.

Hoarseness: Rough or harsh vocal quality.

Example: A hoarse voice may suggest illness or exhaustion.

Breathiness: Audible breath while speaking.

Example: Breathiness can indicate sensual or confidential communication.

Nasality: Sound produced through the nasal passages.

Example: A nasal voice might be perceived as annoying or humorous.

Emphasis: Placing stress on specific words or phrases for added meaning.

Example: "I didn't say he stole the money" can have seven different meanings depending on which word is emphasized.

Stress Patterns: Changing the interpretation of a sentence through stress placement.

Example: "I never said she stole my money" can have different meanings with different stress patterns.

Pauses: Strategic use of pauses for emphasis, comprehension, or dramatic effect.

Example: A pause before revealing a surprise can build anticipation.

Silence: Conveys discomfort, uncertainty, or reflection.

Example: A long, awkward silence after a question may indicate discomfort.

Stuttering, Hesitations, and Repetitions: Can affect the perception of speech fluency.

Example: Frequent hesitations may make a speaker appear less confident or prepared.

Paralinguistic cues convey emotions: Happiness, anger, sadness, fear, etc.

Example: A trembling voice may reveal fear or anxiety, while laughter expresses joy.

Paralinguistic cues vary across cultures.

Example: The meaning of a smile may differ; in some cultures, it signifies politeness, while in others, it reflects genuine happiness.