Prozodické aspekty reprodukované řeči v konverzačních příbězích

This article presents the findings of a study on the prosodic aspects of reported speech in informal conversations. The majority of the material was recorded by speakers themselves in the hope that this would eliminate the Observer’s Paradox. First, instances of reported speech were chosen and then prosodic differences between these instances and ambient speech were identified. The voice qualities used by the speakers to index different affective states and personal qualities of others were further examined, and an auditive as well as an instrumental analysis of the speech signal was performed. The findings suggest that the use of specific prosodic devices is not an individual matter but rather a conventionalized one. Changes in F0 level and level of intensity are the most frequent prosodic aspects. Strong rhythmicity of reported speech occurrences is also quite frequent. Prosodic features function mainly on the principle of contrast (i.e. in direct relation to non-reported speech) and are used in a complex manner. The same bundles of voice qualities are used by different speakers to construct almost stereotypical images of concrete personas.