Nonverbal Vocalisations – A Forensic Phonetic Perspective

Abstract

This contribution approaches nonverbal vocalisations from an angle which is probably quite different from most other perspectives – its usability for forensic speaker comparison purposes. Thus the question is whether and if so, to what extent, nonverbal vocalisations are speaker specific. In this paper, it is argued that it is not so much any one individual trait which is speaker specific but rather a behavioral pattern consisting of various elements. How these vocalisations are covered in forensic phonetic reports is described. Various aspects of the behavioral pattern are dealt with: hesitations/filled pauses, breathing, clicks, question tags, tempo, and laughter.