But these various timbres of the voice especially contain a not
insignificant danger for the criminalist. Whoever once has devoted
himself to the study of them trusts them altogether too easily, for even
if he has identified them correctly hundreds of times, it still may
happen that he is completely deceived by a voice he holds as
“characteristically demonstrative.” That timbres may deceive, or
simulations worthy of the name occur, I hardly believe. Such deceptions
are often attempted and begun, but they demand the entire attention of
the person who tries them, and that can be given for only a short time.
In the very instant that the matter he is speaking of requires the
attention of the speaker, his voice involuntarily falls into that tone
demanded by its physical determinants: and the speaker significantly
betrays himself through just this alteration. We may conclude that an
effective simulation is hardly thinkable.
It must, however, be noticed that earlier mistaken observations and
incorrect inference at the present moment--substitutions and similar
mistakes--may easily mislead. As a corroborative fact, then, the
judgment of a voice would have great value; but as a means in itself it
is a thing too little studied and far from confirmed.
There is, however, another aspect of the matter which manifests itself
in an opposite way from voice and gesture. Lazarus calls attention to
the fact that the spectators at a fencing match can not prevent
themselves from imitative accompaniment of the actions of the fencers,
and that anybody who happens to have any swinging object in his hand
moves his hand here and there as they do. Stricker[76] makes similar
observations concerning involuntary movements performed while looking at
drilling or marching soldiers. Many other phenomena of the daily
life--as, for example, keeping step with some pedestrian near us, with
the movement of a pitcher who with all sorts of twistings of his body
wants to guide the ball correctly when it has already long ago left his
hand; keeping time to music and accompanying the rhythm of a wagon
knocking on cobblestones; even the enforcement of what is said through
appropriate gestures when people speak vivaciously--naturally belong to
the same class. So do nodding the head in agreement and shaking it in
denial; shrugging the shoulders with a declaration of ignorance. The
expression by word of mouth should have been enough and have needed no
reinforcement through conventional gestures, but the last are
spontaneously involuntary accompaniments.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account