Hostname: page-component-7bb8b95d7b-w7rtg Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-10-04T03:59:56.223Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

A cross-cultural study on the use of gestures: Evidence for cross-linguistic transfer?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 October 2006

SIMONE PIKA
Affiliation:
University of St Andrews, Scotland
ELENA NICOLADIS
Affiliation:
University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
PAULA F. MARENTETTE
Affiliation:
University of Alberta, Auqustana Camrose, Alberta, Canada

Abstract

Anecdotal reports provide evidence of so called “hybrid” gesturer whose non-verbal behavior of one language/culture becomes visible in the other. The direction of this gestural transfer seems to occur from a high to a low frequency gesture language. The purpose of this study was therefore to test systematically 1) whether gestural transfer occurs from a high frequency gesture language to a low frequency gesture language, 2) if the frequency of production of some gesture types is more likely to be transferred than others, and 3) whether gestural transfer can also occur bi-directionally. To address these questions, we investigated the use of gestures of English–Spanish bilinguals, French–English bilinguals, and English monolinguals while retelling a cartoon. Our analysis focused on the rate of gestures and the frequency of production of gesture types. There was a significant difference in the overall rate of gestures: both bilingual groups gestured more than monolingual participants. This difference was particularly salient for iconic gestures. In addition, we found that French–English bilinguals used more deictic gestures in their L2. The results suggest that knowledge of a high frequency gesture language affects the gesture rate in a low-frequency gesture language.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Cambridge University Press 2006

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Footnotes

We would like to thank all the participants, without whom this study wouldn't have been possible. Thanks to Carrie Jansen, Samuel Navarro, Jody Sherman, Natasha Tuck and Rebecca Williams, who helped with filming, transcription and coding of the gestures.