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Discourse reference is bimodal : How information status in speech interacts with presence and viewpoint of gestures

Debreslioska, Sandra LU and Gullberg, Marianne LU orcid (2019) In Discourse Processes 56(1). p.41-60
Abstract
Speakers use speech and gestures to represent referents in discourse. Depending on referents’ information status, in speech speakers will vary richness of expression (e.g., lexical noun phrase [NP]/pronoun), nominal definiteness (indefinite/definite), and grammatical role (subject/object). This study tested whether these three linguistic markers of information status interact with presence of gestures and gestural viewpoint (obser- ver/character). The results show that gestures are more frequent with less accessible referents expressed with richer spoken forms but that richness of expression does not interact with viewpoint. In contrast, nominal definite- ness and grammatical role interact with both presence and viewpoint of gestures.... (More)
Speakers use speech and gestures to represent referents in discourse. Depending on referents’ information status, in speech speakers will vary richness of expression (e.g., lexical noun phrase [NP]/pronoun), nominal definiteness (indefinite/definite), and grammatical role (subject/object). This study tested whether these three linguistic markers of information status interact with presence of gestures and gestural viewpoint (obser- ver/character). The results show that gestures are more frequent with less accessible referents expressed with richer spoken forms but that richness of expression does not interact with viewpoint. In contrast, nominal definite- ness and grammatical role interact with both presence and viewpoint of gestures. Gestures occur mainly with indefinite lexical NPs and objects. Character viewpoint gestures occur mainly with indefinite lexical NPs and objects plus predicates. The results shed light on when and how speakers use gestures in connected discourse and specifically highlight the discursive function of gestural viewpoint. (Less)
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author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
gesture, discourse, information status, viewpoint, German
in
Discourse Processes
volume
56
issue
1
pages
41 - 60
publisher
Routledge
external identifiers
  • scopus:85028548832
ISSN
0163-853X
DOI
10.1080/0163853X.2017.1351909
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
9a909fd3-327b-48fb-83f9-96162ae67ba0 (old id 8052526)
date added to LUP
2016-04-04 13:49:43
date last changed
2023-11-30 22:46:09
@article{9a909fd3-327b-48fb-83f9-96162ae67ba0,
  abstract     = {{Speakers use speech and gestures to represent referents in discourse. Depending on referents’ information status, in speech speakers will vary richness of expression (e.g., lexical noun phrase [NP]/pronoun), nominal definiteness (indefinite/definite), and grammatical role (subject/object). This study tested whether these three linguistic markers of information status interact with presence of gestures and gestural viewpoint (obser- ver/character). The results show that gestures are more frequent with less accessible referents expressed with richer spoken forms but that richness of expression does not interact with viewpoint. In contrast, nominal definite- ness and grammatical role interact with both presence and viewpoint of gestures. Gestures occur mainly with indefinite lexical NPs and objects. Character viewpoint gestures occur mainly with indefinite lexical NPs and objects plus predicates. The results shed light on when and how speakers use gestures in connected discourse and specifically highlight the discursive function of gestural viewpoint.}},
  author       = {{Debreslioska, Sandra and Gullberg, Marianne}},
  issn         = {{0163-853X}},
  keywords     = {{gesture; discourse; information status; viewpoint; German}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1}},
  pages        = {{41--60}},
  publisher    = {{Routledge}},
  series       = {{Discourse Processes}},
  title        = {{Discourse reference is bimodal : How information status in speech interacts with presence and viewpoint of gestures}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/0163853X.2017.1351909}},
  doi          = {{10.1080/0163853X.2017.1351909}},
  volume       = {{56}},
  year         = {{2019}},
}