Linguistics ETDs

Publication Date

2025

Abstract

Hirrel (2018) examines form-meaning mappings between speech and co-articulated cyclic gestures, identifying meanings associated with such gestures. To test replicability, this thesis analyzes two functional-semantic domains: modification (adverbs, quantifiers) and morphosyntactic constructions (complex sentences, English Progressive) and their relationship to cyclic gestures. About 12 hours of video was coded in ELAN for cyclic gestures (n=586) and analyzed textually for speech instances (n=1919) of target constructions. Contrary to Hirrel’s predictions, cyclic gestures were not more commonly co-articulated with adverbs than quantifiers and were also not more commonly co-articulated with complex sentences than the English Progressive Construction. Neither pattern reached statistical significance (p = .06, p = .08). No effect was found for discursively proximal instances of conventionalized meaning increasing gesture likelihood (p = 0.42). While further research is needed to strengthen these findings, this thesis suggests that the conventionality of a spoken construction alone may not predict co-speech cyclic gesture production.

Language

English

Keywords

Multimodality, gesture, morphosyntax, cyclic gestures

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Linguistics

Level of Degree

Masters

Department Name

Department of Linguistics

First Committee Member (Chair)

Dr. Jill P. Morford

Second Committee Member

Dr. Paul Edmunds

Third Committee Member

Dr. Barbara Shaffer

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