Sotto voce


Sotto voce means intentionally lowering the volume of one's voice for emphasis. The speaker gives the impression of uttering involuntarily a truth which may surprise, shock, or offend. Galileo Galilei's utterance "Eppur si muove", spoken after recanting his heliocentric theory, is an example of sotto voce utterance.

Uses

Law

In law, "sotto voce" on a transcript indicates a conversation heard below the hearing of the court reporter.

Drama, literature, and rhetoric

In drama, literature, and rhetoric, sotto voce is used to denote emphasis attained by lowering one's voice rather than raising it, similar to the effect provided by an aside. For example, in Chapter 4 of Jane Eyre, Charlotte Brontë uses the term sotto voce to describe Mrs. Reed's manner of speaking after arguing with Jane:
In music, sotto voce is a dramatic lowering of the vocal or instrumental volume.

Band

The Chœur d'Enfants Sotto Voce is a children's choir that resides at the Châtelet Theatre in Paris. They're known for their interpretations of all types of songs, ranging from Broadway to French classics to Jazz.