A rough, harsh sound made in the throat, or a way of speaking that sounds rough and throaty.
From Latin gutturalis, from guttur meaning 'throat.' The word describes sounds that originate deep in the throat rather than the mouth.
Languages like Hebrew, Arabic, and German have guttural sounds that English speakers find difficult because we don't make those throat-based consonants—and your accent reveals which sounds your native language trained your throat to make!
Deep/guttural voices in women have been medicalized or shamed as 'unfeminine,' while identical vocal qualities in men are neutral or authoritative. Imbalance encodes gender hierarchy.
Describe vocal qualities without gendered judgment: 'low-pitched,' 'resonant,' 'harsh' based on acoustic fact, not gender expectation.
["low-pitched","resonant","harsh","gravelly"]
Women with naturally deep voices have fought vocal dysphoria and discrimination. Voice coaching industries have profited from gendering pitch. Neutral description honors vocal diversity.
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