Paralingual means

     The tone of voice (prosody, pitch, volume, intonation) also send strong messages. Your voice can reveal as much about your personal history as your appearance. The sound of a voice and the content of speech can provide clues to an individual's emotional state.

     If self-esteem is low, it may be reflected by hesitancy in the voice. A shy person may speak quietly, but someone who is confident in themselves will be more likely to have command of their voice and clarity of speech.

     It is worth taking time to improve your command over your voice, especially if you find it hard to speak in public. It can even help to boost your confidence!

     It is important to get used to the sound of your own voice. Most people are more relaxed in a private situation, particularly at home, where there are no pressures to conform to any other social rules and expectations. This is not the case in public situations when there are all sorts of influences exerted upon the way people speak.

The vocal cords (folds) in motion: