Why a Woman can Outtalk a Man.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 4 December 1914, Page 3

Why a Woman can Outtalk a Man.

A woman can talk longer than a man, and does so because she uses up less force by a large percentage than the man does. A German professor has proved by actual and very delicate measurements that the baritone singer uses far more energy than the tenor, and that the bass singer uses more force than either. The range of voices differs greatly, so the percentage varies to tho same extent, but as a general result it Was proved that the tenor uees only from one-seventh to one-sixteenth of the lung power of the baritone or bass. The difference between the force used by the contralto and the soprano is quite as marked, and j the contralto who sings in very deep tones uses at least ten times the force of the trilling soprano. The explanation is so simple thatj it is surprising that the investigation was not made long ago. It has long been known that the tenor or soprano brings the vocal chords close together and keeps the edges vibrating by the emission of air. The bass or contreilto leaves the space between the chords wider open, and has to vibrate very much more of the membranes; so a considerably larger amount of air is required, and much more force is expended. You may have frequently noticed that those persons with high, squeaky voices seem to be very loquacious, they never stop talking, and the reason is 'now plain—they can talk with I'ar less ettort than those who take a deeper tone and have to use more air to utter their words. Here li?s the real explanation of the ease with which a woman can out-talk a man. She has the advantage of using from one-seventh! to one-sixteenth less lung power, i and even though her lungs may be' smaller in volume, the dift'erence is) never so great as that between the amount of air required. What chanco, then, would mere man have in debate with woman when tit last she receives the suffrage ? The Westminster clock would theoretically have to be put back so far that it" would never keep time at all. * Woman possesses the further advantage of being able to make a more penetrating sound with a smaller use of power than the. man. The smaller calibre of the woman's throat, combined with the higher rate of vibration of the vocal chords^ j yields a voice that is twice as ! easily audible as the man's when ! produced by the same amount of effort. Most people who have listen- j el to i.'ii.1 voic?3 of men and wo- ' men over the telephone will agree i with this.