CLIC Speaker Abstracts

Adam Kendon (Education, Penn), February 15, 2002.

"Semantic Themes in 'Pragmatic Gestures' in Neapolitan Speakers and Speakers of English."

Context-of-use analyses are described for several highly recurrent gestural expressions, including palm-away open hand forms and palm-up open hand forms, as these are observed both among Neapolitan speakers and British and American speakers of English in everyday conversations. Consistencies of use are demonstrated which suggest 'semantic themes' for these gestures. Examples illustrate the different ways in which gestures of these types contribute to the meaning of the utterance of which they are a part.