An Air of Command

In one of my ASL classes, we have been talking about Affect.

I'm not sure I can really explain everything right, but I'm going to try.

When speaking (or signing) you can convey a degree of speaking by
a) your word choice
and
b) your tone of voice.

Both a and b have different levels
Low
Medium
High.

For Word choice a low level word/setting would be common words that everybody would know like "Book."
Medium would be slightly higher level of speaking that many people would understand, but not all.
A High word choice would be the specialized jargon of a workplace where the words you say might not mean the same to others as it does to you. Think Lawyer talk, or Computer talk.

For the tone voice its the same principle.
Low- low emotion (calm voice)
Medium- medium emotion (more expressive voice)
High- High emotion  (really excited/angry. louder)

Now combining the two together you can get a variety of different intonations
Low-Low
Low-Medium
Low-High
Medium- Medium
Medium- High
High-High.

Depending on the word choice and tone voice (this can include gestures as well.) Your meaning can change and the people listening to will get a different result.
But because not everyone in a group will have the same knowledge results will vary.

so if you
SPEAK VERY LOUDLY
ortalkreallyfast
or p-per-perhaps st-stutter a bit.
Or...ummm you know...ummm.....well I can think of the word I know.....ummmm....
just. speak. slowly. and. monotone. in. a. way. that. isn't. exciting.

Your Affect to the audience will take the message

But what I found interesting was when Low Voice met High wording.
(like i said I might be explaining this well.)
High Wording might be 'charged' terms as well, words that get your back up.

Say for example the word Kill.

If I say
I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!!!
chances are people will think there is a chance. for me if somebody yells it, it might mean they've lost control. They're not thinking straight.

Now if its said in a high squeaky voice
I'mgoingtokillyou.
We might find it funny and not something serious.

But if you have a calm tone. (charged)
I'm going to kill you.
That might send shivers down your back. The voice is emotionless. Which might put in mind to the hearer that they've planned out the action before hand and it causes them no grief that you're going to die.

In the Wheel of Time books (I don't remember which one or where)
There was a saying along the lines of:
Men might ignore a yelling voice, but will strain to hear a whisper.

Have you ever noticed that something serious is actually very serious if the person grows calm?
You know you're in trouble then.
Yelling, you know the person is mad.
Talking calmly though.....
Most people know that.
"JOHNNY GET OVER HERE NOW!" might mean you're in trouble. but if the person says.
"Jonathan Theodore Smith. Come here." You know you've crossed the line and you're in deeeeeeep trouble.

So how does affect affect you?
Do you find yourself straining to listen what you would have ignored when a person shouted?
Have you seen how people respond when your tone varies? or the word choice you use?

It was an idea.
What do we need to do to give ourselves an air of command, without screaming ourselves hoarse.
That will make the people listen to you, obey you, help you when they might be unwilling to do so.

The way we speak has an affect on how people perceive us.

So how do you want to be seen?
How can your words and tone affect that image you want people to have of you?

Until you next read these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi