The Voice and Diction of Conversation : Page 82

If you are really sorry that Mary was sick, then your voice in saying it should have quite different and richer overtones than when you say, "I am sorry you missed the bus yester-day."A famous preacher was asked what he said to mothers about their babies that made each think he paid it a special compliment. He answered, "I look at the baby admiringly and then exclaim, 'Well, this is a baby.' " It was the emotion in his voice and the tempo of his words that were the compliment. A person who cannot get any emotional "umph" into his voice when a topic that ought to stir the feelings is broached is not a good conversationalist, and very probably