What are tone indicators?

Tone indicators are shorthand for words used to convey tone. Tone can be defined as "a quality in the voice that expresses the speaker's feelings or thoughts".

Some examples of common tone indicators are /j, /srs and /s. Though there are many others, these are the ones that are most commonly used and needed for clarity of communication.

In Albert Mehrabian's 1981 study Silent messages : implicit communication of emotions and attitudes, he found that 93% of liking is from non-verbal cues. 38% is due to tone of voice, while an additional 55% is attributed to body language.[1]

Inferring meaning, tone and intent of a textual message over the internet can be difficult at times, especially in heated situations or when the wording could easily mean many things — the use of a tone indicator can help clarify your intentions, and defuse any misunderstandings.


go back