Several studies have shown that rhetorical wh-questions (RQs) and string-identical information-seeking wh-questions (ISQs) are realized with different prosodic characteristics. In contrast to ISQs, RQs have been shown to be phonetically realized with a breathier (i.e., softer) voice quality (e.g., German and English) and longer constituent durations (e.g., German, English, Icelandic). Based on similar results found for different languages, we investigate wh-RQs and sting-identical wh-ISQs in Brazilian Portuguese (BP) and German (G). We analyze (i) whether specific duration and voice-quality patterns characterize and separate the two illocution types (RQ and ISQ) in BP, and (ii) if direct measures of the respiratory sub-system reveal differences between illocution types, given that breathiness involves greater transglottal air flow which can be observed in the speakers’ chest and/or abdomen movement.

Our data suggest that, similar to G, English, and Icelandic, duration and voice quality patterns play a role in the realization of RQs compared to ISQs in BP, reinforcing the assumption that there are cross-linguistically similar phonetic features in the realization of RQs compared to ISQs. We also find that speakers of G breathe in more deeply and dynamically than speakers of BP, suggesting a link between breathing and voice quality.