what is speech balloon

A speech balloon, also known as a speech bubble, voice bubble, word balloon, or text balloon, is a graphic convention used in comic books, comics, and cartoons to represent a characters speech or thoughts. It is a bubble filled with text that points to a person or human-like object. A formal distinction is often made between the balloon that indicates speech and the one that indicates thoughts; the balloon that conveys thoughts is often referred to as a thought bubble or conversation cloud. The text inside the bubble represents the words that the character says, and the tail points to who is speaking. Speech balloons can also be used to convey emotions, such as anger or surprise, through the use of different shapes and styles. While speech balloons are most commonly used in comic books, comics, and cartoons, they can also be used in other forms of publications, including websites.