Definition
paralinguistic
adjective
- relating to or denoting communication elements that accompany speech but are not part of the words themselves, such as tone of voice, gestures, facial expressions, and body language
Usage: commonly used in linguistics, communication studies, and psychology
Examples
- Paralinguistic cues like eye contact and posture can convey as much meaning as the words spoken.
- The speaker's paralinguistic features—her tone and hand gestures—emphasized the importance of her message.
- In cross-cultural communication, paralinguistic signals may be interpreted differently by different audiences.
- Actors study paralinguistic elements to make their performances more convincing and emotionally resonant.
- Paralinguistic communication includes sighs, pauses, and changes in pitch that affect how listeners understand speech.
- Researchers analyzed paralinguistic behavior during the interview to assess the candidate's confidence level.