Overview

• The study identified that complaint speech features higher and more variable pitch along with slower tempo and increased volume compared to neutral statements.
• Listeners rated French speakers’ complaints as conveying sadness through raised pitch, while Québécois complaints were judged angrier, more surprised and more disgusted due to greater pitch variability.
• Eight francophone speakers (four in France, four in Quebec) recorded 84 neutral and complaint sentences, which were then evaluated by 40 Quebec residents for emotional content.
• Findings underscore the role of cultural display rules in shaping how emotions are expressed and perceived in complaint vocalizations across francophone communities.
• Authors note the limited sample of speakers and listeners and call for broader cross-cultural studies to confirm and extend these insights.