Abstract
This paper explores how tone of voice functions as a semiotic system in qualitative research and how design thinking methods can enhance researchers’ ability to perceive and interpret non-verbal expressions such as intonation. Drawing on Saussure’s theory of semiotics, the paper argues that intonation - although often overlooked - is a signifier consisting of a sound image (the signifier) and its associated meaning (the signified). While most qualitative analyses rely heavily on textual transcripts, this approach runs the risk of ignoring the communicative depth embedded in intonation, rhythm, and affective cues. Through a semiotic design lens, this paper proposes conceptual paths for visualizing features (e.g., pitch contour and emotional intensity) that make subjective insights easier to perceive and analyze. The paper concludes by exploring the challenges of tone symbolization (e.g., openness, technical feasibility, interpretive validity) and calls for the interdisciplinary development of tools that balance human judgment and structured insight. Ultimately, this work contributes to a more comprehensive framework for qualitative analysis that emphasizes both linguistic and nonlinguistic dimensions of meaning.
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
Creative and Cultural Technologies
KEYWORDS
Semiotics, Design Thinking, Tone, Qualitative
