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Evolution of conventional communication : A cross-cultural study of pantomimic re-enactments of transitive events

Zywiczynski, Przemyslaw LU ; Sibierska, Marta ; Wacewicz, Slawomir ; van de Weijer, Joost LU orcid ; Ferretti, Francesco ; Adornetti, Ines ; Chiera, Alessandra and Deriu, Valentina (2021) In Language and Communication 80. p.191-203
Abstract
This study addresses the postulate of non-conventionality of pantomime, inherent in pantomimic scenarios of language origin. Since lack of semiotic conventions does not preclude micro-conventions resulting from cultural differences, pantomimes should be easier to interpret when the actor and recipient share the same culture than between two different cultures. In the study, Italian and Polish amateur “actors” re-enacted transitive events from a matrix of cartoon-like drawings. Randomly selected clips were matched by Polish and Italian participants to the corresponding drawings. We found no difference in the number of correct guesses when the actors and matchers were from the same versus from different cultures. We discuss this result in... (More)
This study addresses the postulate of non-conventionality of pantomime, inherent in pantomimic scenarios of language origin. Since lack of semiotic conventions does not preclude micro-conventions resulting from cultural differences, pantomimes should be easier to interpret when the actor and recipient share the same culture than between two different cultures. In the study, Italian and Polish amateur “actors” re-enacted transitive events from a matrix of cartoon-like drawings. Randomly selected clips were matched by Polish and Italian participants to the corresponding drawings. We found no difference in the number of correct guesses when the actors and matchers were from the same versus from different cultures. We discuss this result in the context of the core assumptions of pantomimic scenarios of language origin. (Less)
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author
; ; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Communicative conventions, Cultural difference, iconicity, Language origins, Pantomime
in
Language and Communication
volume
80
pages
13 pages
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • scopus:85111508151
ISSN
0271-5309
DOI
10.1016/j.langcom.2021.07.002
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
5925ed66-da75-4527-ad6d-5e225a04cdfe
date added to LUP
2021-08-02 12:51:04
date last changed
2022-04-27 02:58:27
@article{5925ed66-da75-4527-ad6d-5e225a04cdfe,
  abstract     = {{This study addresses the postulate of non-conventionality of pantomime, inherent in pantomimic scenarios of language origin. Since lack of semiotic conventions does not preclude micro-conventions resulting from cultural differences, pantomimes should be easier to interpret when the actor and recipient share the same culture than between two different cultures. In the study, Italian and Polish amateur “actors” re-enacted transitive events from a matrix of cartoon-like drawings. Randomly selected clips were matched by Polish and Italian participants to the corresponding drawings. We found no difference in the number of correct guesses when the actors and matchers were from the same versus from different cultures. We discuss this result in the context of the core assumptions of pantomimic scenarios of language origin.}},
  author       = {{Zywiczynski, Przemyslaw and Sibierska, Marta and Wacewicz, Slawomir and van de Weijer, Joost and Ferretti, Francesco and Adornetti, Ines and Chiera, Alessandra and Deriu, Valentina}},
  issn         = {{0271-5309}},
  keywords     = {{Communicative conventions; Cultural difference; iconicity; Language origins; Pantomime}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{07}},
  pages        = {{191--203}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Language and Communication}},
  title        = {{Evolution of conventional communication : A cross-cultural study of pantomimic re-enactments of transitive events}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.langcom.2021.07.002}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.langcom.2021.07.002}},
  volume       = {{80}},
  year         = {{2021}},
}