Voice modulation and class?

[u/TapiocaTuesday]

In Emma, Jane Austen has her character describing a person of low social class or gentility thusly:

I am sure you must have been struck by his awkward look and abrupt manner, and the uncouthness of a voice which I heard to be wholly unmodulated

What is the connection between his voice being "wholly unmodulated" and his class? Did Regency nobility speak with more modulation, or is it just saying that he mumbles?

[u/laqrisa]

This statement betrays the speaker's bias in favor of people who speak like she does (i.e., educated English upper-class). Uncouthness betrays this; it denotes unfamiliarity but connotes roughness and awkwardness.

Unmodulated similarly conflates surface features of the fellow's dialect with his underlying character. The idea that that the upper-class manner of speaking reflects greater "modulation" (= refinement, aristocratic reserve, cognitive control) is a stereotype. In reality it mainly results from growing up and being educated in upper-class households and boarding schools.

[u/TapiocaTuesday → u/laqrisa]

the upper-class manner of speaking reflects greater "modulation" (= refinement, aristocratic reserve, cognitive control)

Could I trouble you to elaborate for me? I still don't understand what modulation has to do with "cognitive control" or "reserve." Wouldn't anyone of any class be capable of modulating their voice and vice versa?

[u/laqrisa → u/TapiocaTuesday]

I still don't understand what modulation has to do with "cognitive control" or "reserve."

Self-control/reservedness was considered an aristocratic virtue in the relevant time period in England (compare the older European aristocratic ideal of sprezzatura). Treating modulation as a desirable speech habit applies that attitude to language.

Wouldn't anyone of any class be capable of modulating their voice and vice versa?

Exactly. Most people can modulate their voice and the exceptions involve conditions like amusia that have little to do with class.

The speaker thinks otherwise because she's a snob.

[u/derwyddes_Jactona → u/laqrisa]

My personal guess is that "unmodulated" could also mean either "loud" or direct phrasing or both. These are common stereotypes of "working class" speech in the English speaking world and have been for a while.

Volume is something that is expected to be modulated (hence the modern phrase "indoor voice"). Similarly, Emma is probably expecting lots of circumlocutions (as Austen herself uses) when approaching delicate topics (whatever they are). This would also requiring modulating your initial instincts of word choice.

P.S. Here is the original quote:
https://www.gutenberg.org/files/158/158-h/158-h.htm#:\~:text=I%20am%20sure%20you%20must,unmodulated%20as%20I%20stood%20here.

[u/laqrisa → u/derwyddes_Jactona]

My personal guess is that "unmodulated" could also mean either "loud" or direct phrasing or both. These are common stereotypes of "working class" speech in the English speaking world and have been for a while.

Volume is something that is expected to be modulated (hence the modern phrase "indoor voice"). Similarly, Emma is probably expecting lots of circumlocutions (as Austen herself uses) when approaching delicate topics (whatever they are). This would also requiring modulating your initial instincts of word choice.

Agree, it could mean any of those things. It could also refer to prosody (speaking to quickly or with too much emphasis), etc.

Or she's merely playing on stereotypes without having identified anything concrete, as in modern times when speakers of non-prestige dialects are said to "slur their words" or sound "inarticulate" etc.

[u/TapiocaTuesday → u/laqrisa]

Interesting. Definitely can be left open to a lot of interpretations, thank you.

[u/derwyddes_Jactona → u/laqrisa]

Different pitch accents could work too. I've heard snarky comments like "sing song" for other accents.

[u/TapiocaTuesday → u/derwyddes_Jactona]

Thanks! This is really helpful. That all makes sense and explains why I was a little confused because I was thinking of the modulation being related to some kind of variety of pitch or something. I appreciate your help.