Speech-gesture constructions in cognitive grammar

The case of beats and points

Datos Bibliográficos

ID12197371
AutoresLaura Ruth-Hirrel (Department of Linguistics, California State University , Northridge , CA , 91330 , USA, autor de correspondencia), Wilcox (0000-0003-2192-6075, University of New Mexico), Sherman Wilcox (Department of Linguistics , The University of New Mexico , Albuquerque , NM , 87131 , USA)
Año2018
Volumen29
Número3
Páginas453-493
Fecha de publicación2018-07-19
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaCognitive Linguistics (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 0936-5907 • E-ISSN: 1613-3641
EditorialDe Gruyter Mouton (PUBLISHER • DE)
DOI10.1515/cog-2017-0116
OpenAlexW2884203319
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas6
Referencias citadas30

The current study uses principles from Cognitive Grammar to better account for the symbolic integration of gesture and speech. Drawing on data collected from language use, we examine the use of two attention-directing strategies that are expressed through gesture, beats and pointing. It has been claimed that beats convey no semantic information. We propose that beat gestures are symbolic structures. It has also been noted that beats are often overlaid on other gestures. To date, however, no detailed explanation has been offered to account for the conceptual and phonological integration of beats with other co-expressed gestures. In this paper, we explore the integration of beats and pointing gestures as complex gestural expressions. We find that simple beat gestures, as well as beat gestures co-expressed with pointing gestures, are used to direct attention to meanings in speech that are associated with salient components of stancetaking acts. Our account further reveals a symbolic motivation for the apparent “superimposing” of beats onto pointing gestures. By closely examining actual usage events, we take an initial step toward demonstrating how the symbolic elements of both beats and points are integrated in multimodal constructions

Cognition · Gesture · Grammar · Linguistics · Salient · Speech recognition · Communication · Computer Science · Hearing Impairment and Communication · Language, Discourse, Communication Strategies · Language, Metaphor, and Cognition · Psychology · Artificial Intelligence