QUESTION Adelino da Rocha Calado Neto, Japaratinga, AL
ILLUSTRATES Rodrigo Ico
Because their larynx is little elongated. To understand, just compare it with wind instruments: the bigger the straw, the more serious (or “thick”) the sound emitted, and the shorter it is, the more acute (or “thin”). In boys, a thin voice is a normal anatomical feature, which will only change in adolescence, when hormone production is intensified. In this phase, testosterone causes several alterations in the body, among them the growth of the larynx, which makes the vocal cords, located inside it, become thicker, and the voice, more serious. The change usually occurs between the ages of 13 and 15. This explains the changes in the voice, which at times thins, at times thickens, at times becomes hoarse – yes, it is just a phase. The deepening of the voice is considered a secondary male sexual aspect. Some scholars believe that this trait evolved to give individuals an advantage against their rivals during the mating ritual.
One last curiosity
Between the 16th and 19th centuries, male singers were castrated in European nations. Thus, they reached high notes with ease.