Reading nuances

Handling of enumerations and suspensory points

Lists or enumerations present a particular challenge: if read with the same tone, they become hypnotic and boring.

The correct technique is to apply a melodic variation to each item in the list to differentiate them.

For example, in a series of three adjectives, the first can have a middle tone, the second can rise slightly, and the third can descend to mark the end of the series.

Suspense points are a tool of suspense. They indicate a deliberate interruption, a doubt or an open ending.

When encountering them, the speaker should not cut off the sound abruptly, but let it "float" in the air, lengthening the last syllable and allowing for a reflective silence afterwards.

This invites the audience to mentally complete the sentence or to imagine the continuation, generating complicity.

Intonation of questions and exclamations

Question marks and exclamation marks are conductors for the voice. A question can have two different melodic curves: if it is a "closed question" (yes/no answer), the final intonation should clearly rise ("Are you coming?").

If it is an "open question" (what, how, when), the final intonation tends to go down ("What do you want?").

Getting this curve wrong confuses the listener's brain as to whether an answer is expected or not. Exclamation marks demand increased energy, volume, and emphasis.

However, the common mistake is to start the sentence with a lot of force and deflate at the end ("punctured balloon effect").

For the exclamation to be effective, the intensity must be maintained or even increased until the last syllable, ensuring that the emotion comes through intact. These nuances transform a flat