Coordination between Markers, Repairs and Hand Gestures in Political Interviews

Abstract

Abstract. This study aims at exploring the coordination of linguistic features (markers and repairs) with hand gestures, assuming that this concerns rhythm and cohesion of the discourse, rather than the semantic content. Two independent observers coded a sample of 29 broadcasts "Tribuna Politica" (10h 28m) during the campaign of 2004 European elections in Italy. Descriptive data showed that: meta-textual markers were used more than interactive ones; repairs were equally subdivided into modifications and repetitions; conversational gestures (i.e., rhythmic and cohesive) and adaptors were used more than ideational gestures. Correlations between markers/repairs and gestures revealed that these linguistic features are prevalently associated to conversational gestures and adaptors. Probably, when the conversation is fluid, markers and repairs are coordinated with conversational gestures in order to accompany the flow of speech; when the conversation is blocked, they are coordinated with adaptors in order to re-establish the previous flow.