Attenuation

Attenuation Attenuation, also attenuation (from the Latin attenŭatio “moderation”, “softening”, “modesty”) is a softening of emotional expressiveness or social significance in speech expressions. In linguistics, attenuation is a decrease in the volume level of the vocal signal, depending on the circumstances, behavior and social intimacy of the speakers.

Pierre Jalet began to study attenuation. Jean Dubois wrote about her: “It is quite obvious that a person is able to downplay his superior role in a conflict situation in which his presence provokes the unpredictable behavior of his partner.”