noun
- nonverbal elements of communication such as tone of voice, gestures, and facial expressions that accompany speech
Usage: linguistics; communication studies
Examples
- The speaker’s paralanguage conveyed more emotion than her actual words.
- Teachers learn to read students’ paralanguage to gauge understanding.
- His nervous paralanguage contradicted his confident speech.
- Paralanguage includes vocal qualities like pitch, volume, and pace.
- Cross-cultural differences in paralanguage can lead to misunderstandings.
- The therapist paid attention to the client’s paralanguage during sessions.