A Cognitive Semiotic Perspective on Gestural Meaning-Making: Phenomenological Triangulation, Embodiment, and Consciousness
Studies in Logic, Grammar and Rhetoric December 1, 2024 DOI: 10.2478/slgr-2024-0012 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Keywords | Linguistics |
| Key points | Argues that spontaneous gesturing should be understood from a cognitive semiotic perspective as embodied meaning-making, analyzed via Merleau-Ponty's notions of pre-reflective and reflective self-consciousness. Proposes that gesture studies should complement third-person methods with first- and second-person perspectives through phenomenological triangulation. |
Abstract
Abstract The paper presents a cognitive semiotic perspective on spontaneous gesturing (or singular gestures), understood as spontaneous co-speech embodied activity, devoid of linguistic properties, and not conforming to social conventions. In line with the cognitive-semiotic attitude, the paper addresses the so far underexplored methodological issue of complementing third-person methods of gesture studies with first- and second-person perspectives on speech and gesturing in line with phenomenological triangulation. Merleau-Ponty’s ideas presented in Phenomenology of Perception are the starting point for the exploration of aspects of a phenomenological view of gestural meaning-making. Gesturing, as a meaning-making activity, is analyzed in terms of embodied accomplishment of meaning. Gestural bodily activity is subsequently analyzed in terms of pre-reflective self-consciousness and reflective self-consciousness. The paper is intended as a contribution to studies on the phenomenology of gesturing, with perspectives for further research sketched in the concluding section.