MULTIMODAL GRAMMAR OF ASSERTIVE CONSTRUCTION: A CASE OF PALM-UP OPEN-HAND GESTURE IN EXPOSITORY COMMUNICATION ⃰

MULTIMODAL GRAMMAR OF ASSERTIVE CONSTRUCTION: A CASE OF PALM-UP OPEN-HAND GESTURE IN EXPOSITORY COMMUNICATION ⃰

Author:  M.I. Kiose 1, A.V. Leonteva 1, O.V. Agafonova 2

Affiliation:  1Institute of Linguistics of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 2 Moscow State Linguistic University

Abstract:  The research addresses the pragmatic assertive act as a multimodal phenomenon displayed in spontaneous speech and gesture in expository communication. Methodologically, the study is carried out within the Multimodal Construction Grammar framework which considers multimodal construc-tions as two-side phenomena of form and function exposed in both modes. We hypothesize that ges-ture functions are aligned with the functions of assertion in speech, which adds to the pragmatic po-tential of expository communication. To verify the hypothesis, we use the compiled multimodal cor-pus where participants explain the differences between the notions with the idea of developing com-mon ground. Featuring palm-up open-hand gesture which is a frequently found recurrent gesture form in the compiled corpus (358 cases), we explore its functions – deictic, representational and pragmatic, aligned with the functional types of assertive act foregrounding evaluative and epistemic stance, nominative and predicative components in event construal (overall,
282 cases).
The results showed that while the most frequent assertive types are nomination and evalua-tion, pragmatic gesture functions prevail in exposing all assertion types. In multimodal nomination participants tend to enhance pragmaticity in foregrounding its discourse-structuring potential using a gesture with a concomitant function. Additionally, they frequently employ a two-hand gesture, where the other hand performs a deictic pointing function.  In multimodal evaluation the partici-pants more commonly single out the referent using the discourse representational function in ges-ture. In epistemic multimodal construal they frequently adhere to the contact-establishing pragmatic gestures, which evidences of higher intersubjectivity in transferring epistemic ideas. In foreground-ing a predicative component in speech, no specific gesture functions are attributed to it, which means that it serves a prototype assertive pattern.
Therefore, four multimodal patterns of assertive construction were revealed with major dif-ferences in gesture functioning displayed in their discourse structuring, discourse representational, deictic and contact-establishing potential.  The results contribute to further development of Multi-modal Construction Grammar framework to exploring pragmatic phenomena; additionally, they support the idea of speech and gesture adaptation in enhancing discourse pragmatization in commu-nication.

Keywords:  : multimodal construction grammar, assertion, palm-up open hand gesture, discourse pragmatization, expository communication, speech and gesture adaptation

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For citation:  Kiose, M. I., Leonteva, A. V., & Agafonova, O. V. (2025). Multimodal grammar of assertive construction: a case of palm-up open-hand gesture in expository communication. Voprosy Kognitivnoy Lingvistiki, 4, 57-68.

Pages:  57-68