Speech bubble

Speech bubble is a rounded visual marker used to show spoken words in written or drawn material. It is usually connected to a person, character, or other speaking figure and shows that the text inside the marker is being spoken aloud.

Definition

A speech bubble is used for direct speech. It marks text that represents words said by a speaker. Its main role is to show spoken dialogue in a clear visual way.

The speech bubble is a general communication marker. It is not part of the babble marker group, although it may be compared with babble markers because all of them are used to present text or sound visually.

Appearance

A speech bubble is usually drawn as a rounded shape that contains spoken text. It often has a small pointer or tail that connects the bubble to the speaker. This pointer helps identify who is speaking.

The rounded shape is one of its main features. It makes the marker visually different from the straight shape of a Babblerectangle, the natural-sound use of a Babblecircle, the line form of a Babbleline, and the angled shape of a Babblediamond.

Purpose

The purpose of a speech bubble is to show dialogue. It helps readers understand which words are being spoken and who is saying them. This makes it useful in visual communication, comics, diagrams, illustrated records, and other material where spoken words need to be shown clearly.

Relation to babble markers

A speech bubble is related to babble markers because it is also a visual text marker. It has a broader and more ordinary meaning than the babble marker forms.

A Babblerectangle is used for artificial, electronic, or system-generated output. A Babblecircle is used for natural sounds. A Babbleline is used for sound, signals, or messages travelling through a path. A Babblediamond is used for coded, distorted, hidden, alert-like, or uncertain communication.

In this group of related visual markers, the speech bubble remains the standard form for spoken dialogue.

Difference from other markers

A speech bubble is different from a thought bubble, which shows internal thought. It is also different from a Babblerectangle, which shows machine or system output, and from a Babblecircle, which shows natural sounds instead of spoken words.

Because of this, a speech bubble should be used when the text represents ordinary spoken dialogue. Other markers should be used when the text represents a different source, such as a system message, natural sound, signal path, or coded message.

Related concepts

The speech bubble is connected to dialogue, visual communication, [[communication, and graphic symbols. It is part of the wider set of visual forms used to make spoken or written information easier to identify.