Heys guys
Just started reading the 3/4 Living Lingo textbook.
I came across two definitions. That of Paralinguistic Cues and that of Phonology.
Paralinguistic language has tonality, pauses in speech etc as a part of it's definition, as does phonology.
So, what separates phonology from paralinguistic language?
Many thanks '
Corey
So Phonology is a subsystem. It is a big over arching word for all the parts of language that relate to sound. The other subsystems are morphology, lexicology, syntax, semantics and discourse(which isn't so much a subsystem but rather its own free standing thing).
Now... to the meat of it... Paralinguistic features is the term used to describe the elements of spoken communication that are not
sounds. A quote from the English Language for Senior Students (page 74): "In essence, paralinguistic features are the non vocal signals beyond basic speech" this are things like eye-rolls and body language. The text goes on to say that there are some linguist that do include prosodic features (stress, volume, intonation ect) as paralinguistic features but I prefer the first definition.
The comparison: phonology is the word for all things sound related in language and is a subsystem. Paralinguistic features are not their own subsystem (they come under discourse). Paralinguistic features refers to all things that are not spoken in a conversation. There maybe overlap if you consider tone and other prosodic features a part of paralinguistic features but phonology and prosodic features are not the same thing. There are many many things that come under phonology that are not paralinguistic features such as Assonance, Alliteration ect that are concerned with the way speech sounds.
Hope this helps and I didn't make too many typos or mistakes