Mouth actions as gesture in sign language

Fontana, Sabina

doi:10.1075/gest.8.1.08fon

Article published In: Dimensions of gesture
Edited by Adam Kendon † and Tommaso Russo Cardona
[Gesture 8:1] 2008
► pp. 104–123

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Mouth actions as gesture in sign language

Sabina Fontana | University of Catania

Published online: 20 May 2008

https://doi.org/10.1075/gest.8.1.08fon

The present study investigates the nature of mouth actions in Italian Sign Language (LIS) and shows how the manual and the oral modality can be integrated when the visual-gestural channel is chosen for communication. Finally, the role played by mouth actions in sign language will be investigated and paralleled to co-speech gestures by re-working Kendon’s continuum in order to show how orality could become gestural when co-occurring with signing.

Keywords: sign language, gestures in sign language, mouthpatterns, non manual features

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[no author supplied]

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