The Speech Regained
In his 3rd article on the pandemic and the senses, Gaudêncio Fidelis addresses hearing, its correlation with voice, and the role it plays in the construction of personal identity.
He notes, “made out of breath, the human voice is one of the most extraordinary manifestations of the body, it is basically audible air. The COVID-19 pandemic has posed major issues regarding transmission by droplets emitted by speech and the role it plays in the infection by SARS-CoV-2. Depending on intonation and vocalization, speaking words may carry virus-containing droplets and aerosols exhaled by infected individuals regardless of symptomatology.”
In the article below, Fidelis suggests that masks and other protective gear distort our aural field of perception including the way we process the sounds of speech, and has affected the way we communicate during the pandemic.
Part I of the series, “The Hindered Touch,” is link here.
Part II of the series, “The Forgotten Nerve,” is linked here.
