How the temporal unfolding of an event is expressed in gestures

What is it about?

Gestures that people use when they speak have been shown to be tightly integrated with speech production. In this study I show that this is especially true of gestures and speech that communicate ASPECT - such as information about the beginning, end or internal timing of an event.

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Photo by Thien Dang on Unsplash

Photo by Thien Dang on Unsplash

Why is it important?

The findings show that specific verbs that communicate ASPECT have unique profiles in the way they are 'performed' or enacted by the body. This study provides more evidence to support our understanding of just how tightly speech and body movement are intertwined, and that this interdependent interaction extends to conceptual notions such as the way events unfold over time.