Sotto voce
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Sotto voce (/ˈsɒtoʊ ˈvoʊtʃeɪ/; Italian: [ˈsotto ˈvoːtʃe], literally "under voice") means intentionally lowering the volume of one's voice for emphasis. The speaker gives the impression of uttering involuntarily a truth which may surprise, shock, or offend. Galileo Galilei's (probably apocryphal) utterance "Eppur si muove" ("Nonetheless, [the Earth] does move"), spoken after recanting his heliocentric theory, is an example of sotto voce utterance.
Uses
Law
In law, "sotto voce" on a transcript indicates a conversation heard below the hearing of the court reporter.[citation needed]
Literature, drama, and rhetoric
In literature, drama, and rhetoric, sotto voce is used to denote emphasis attained by lowering one's voice rather than raising it, similar to the effect provided by an aside. For example, in Chapter 4 of Jane Eyre, Charlotte Brontë uses the term sotto voce to describe Mrs. Reed's manner of speaking after arguing with Jane:
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- 'I am not your dear; I cannot lie down. Send me to school soon, Mrs. Reed, for I hate to live here.'
- 'I will indeed send her to school soon,' murmured Mrs. Reed, sotto voce; and gathering up her work, she abruptly quitted the apartment.
— Jane Eyre[1]
Music
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In music, sotto voce is a dramatic lowering of the vocal or instrumental volume.
References
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
