Gesture and Speech in Variation Sets Directed to Spanish-Learning Toddlers in Adult-Child Interactions
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| Title: | Gesture and Speech in Variation Sets Directed to Spanish-Learning Toddlers in Adult-Child Interactions |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Florencia Alam (ORCID |
| Source: | First Language. 2025 45(2):103-127. |
| Availability: | SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 25 |
| Publication Date: | 2025 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Descriptors: | Spanish, Toddlers, Language Acquisition, Nonverbal Communication, Speech Communication, Video Technology, Parent Child Relationship, Caregiver Child Relationship, Story Reading, Pragmatics, Verbal Communication, Play, Urban Areas, Foreign Countries, Native Language |
| Geographic Terms: | Argentina |
| DOI: | 10.1177/01427237241292808 |
| ISSN: | 0142-7237 1740-2344 |
| Abstract: | The study adopts a multimodal perspective, looking at adults' use of gestures in variation sets (VS; i.e. sequences of partial self-repetitions occurring in successive utterances of varying form) addressed to Spanish-learning toddlers in adult-child interactions. We seek to address the following question: Do adults make simultaneous use of VS and gestures to amplify their effect while interacting with toddlers? We consider the proportion of bimodal utterances, the types of gestures, the pragmatic function of the utterances, and the ongoing activity. Thirty 18-month-old children (17 Argentinian and 13 Spanish) and their principal caregivers were video recorded for 15 minutes in spontaneous reading and playing situations. Transcriptions and annotations were done with ELAN. Results showed that verbal utterances were more frequent than bimodal utterances in VS. Gestures were mostly used in VS with a regulatory function. Pointing was the type of gesture most frequently used, and its proportion increased in VS. Gestures were employed more frequently in book-sharing activities. Findings revealed that although VS are a bimodal (gesture and speech) phenomenon they are predominantly verbal and that regulatory pragmatic function explains adults' use of gesture. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2025 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1466623 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | The study adopts a multimodal perspective, looking at adults' use of gestures in variation sets (VS; i.e. sequences of partial self-repetitions occurring in successive utterances of varying form) addressed to Spanish-learning toddlers in adult-child interactions. We seek to address the following question: Do adults make simultaneous use of VS and gestures to amplify their effect while interacting with toddlers? We consider the proportion of bimodal utterances, the types of gestures, the pragmatic function of the utterances, and the ongoing activity. Thirty 18-month-old children (17 Argentinian and 13 Spanish) and their principal caregivers were video recorded for 15 minutes in spontaneous reading and playing situations. Transcriptions and annotations were done with ELAN. Results showed that verbal utterances were more frequent than bimodal utterances in VS. Gestures were mostly used in VS with a regulatory function. Pointing was the type of gesture most frequently used, and its proportion increased in VS. Gestures were employed more frequently in book-sharing activities. Findings revealed that although VS are a bimodal (gesture and speech) phenomenon they are predominantly verbal and that regulatory pragmatic function explains adults' use of gesture. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 0142-7237 1740-2344 |
| DOI: | 10.1177/01427237241292808 |
