LANGUAGE AND GESTURE

LIN2LAG

2015

Credit points: 15

Subject outline

This subject introduces the student to the study of gesture, focusing on its use in face-to-face interaction to demonstrate gesture's varied role in communication. The subject will begin with a discussion of the history of the study of gesture, exploring the relationship between gesture and signed languages, and how the use of gesture varies according to cultural and language differences. The emphasis in this subject will be on the semiotic and linguistic dimensions of gestural communication, but the unit will also touch on the neurological and psycholinguistic aspects of gesture, its developmental course in infants and children, and its possible role in the evolution of language.

School: School of Humanities & Social Sciences

Credit points: 15

Subject Co-ordinator: Adam Schembri

Available to Study Abroad Students: Yes

Subject year level: Year Level 2 - UG

Exchange Students: Yes

Subject particulars

Subject rules

Prerequisites: N/A

Co-requisites: N/A

Incompatible subjects: DFS2LAG

Equivalent subjects: N/A

Special conditions: N/A

Learning resources

Readings

Resource Type	Title	Resource Requirement	Author and Year	Publisher
Readings	Gesture: Visible action as utterance	Prescribed	Kendon, A. (2004).	CAMBRIDGE: CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS
Readings	Gesture and thought	Recommended	McNeill, D. (2005)	UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO PRESS
Readings	Hearing gesture: How our hands help us think	Recommended	Goldin-Meadow, S. (2003)	HARVARD UNIVERSITY PRESS
Readings	Language and gesture	Recommended	McNeill, D. (Ed.). (2000)	CAMBRIDGE

Graduate capabilities & intended learning outcomes

01. Explain the importance of studying gesture for an understanding of human communication

Activities:: Reading, lectures, class discussion, essay and analysis of co-speech gesture video data
Related graduate capabilities and elements:: Inquiry/ Research(Inquiry/ Research); Writing(Writing); Critical Thinking(Critical Thinking)

02. Describe key aspects of gesticulation/co-speech gestures, mimetic gestures, and emblems/symbolic gestures

Activities:: Reading, lectures, class discussion, essay and analysis of co-speech gesture video data
Related graduate capabilities and elements:: Critical Thinking(Critical Thinking); Inquiry/ Research(Inquiry/ Research); Writing(Writing)

03. Compare the form and functions of gesture, spoken languages and sign languages

Activities:: Reading, lectures, class discussion, essay and analysis of co-speech gesture video data
Related graduate capabilities and elements:: Writing(Writing); Inquiry/ Research(Inquiry/ Research); Critical Thinking(Critical Thinking)

04. Analyse interactions between people to determine the role of gesture in communication. You will be able to (a) explain key issues in gesture research methodology and (b) apply theoretical knowledge to the analysis of co-speech gesture data

Activities:: Lectures, class discussion, class exercises, assignment and analysis of co-speech gesture video data
Related graduate capabilities and elements:: Writing(Writing); Creative Problem-solving(Creative Problem-solving); Inquiry/ Research(Inquiry/ Research); Critical Thinking(Critical Thinking)

Melbourne, 2015, Semester 2, Day

Overview

Online enrolment: Yes

Maximum enrolment size: N/A

Enrolment information:

Subject Instance Co-ordinator: Adam Schembri

Class requirements

Lecture/SeminarWeek: 31 - 43
One 3.0 hours lecture/seminar per week on weekdays during the day from week 31 to week 43 and delivered via blended.

Assessments

Assessment element	Comments	%	ILO*
One 2,000 assignment		50	01, 02, 03, 04
One draft + final 2000 word essay		50	01, 02, 03, 04

Melbourne, 2015, Summer 3, Day