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Article published In: Translation and Translanguaging in Multilingual Contexts
Vol. 6:3 (2020) ► pp.282–311

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Promoting multimodal practices in multilingual classes of Italian in Canada and in Italy

 | University of Windsor
Published online: 15 July 2020
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https://doi.org/10.1075/ttmc.00057.sal
Abstract
This paper offers a qualitative analysis of the responses that 28 advanced learners of Italian in Canada and Italy contributed to a questionnaire asking them to interpret the meanings and functions of six Italian gestures, alone and in combination with dialogues. Participants were also asked to comment on their perception of body language in their L1 and in Italian. The purpose of the exercise was to expand L2 pedagogy towards multimodality, while at the same time accounting for learners’ multilingualism. We found that participants appreciated a multimodal approach to their Italian language learning experience. We also found that knowledge of languages typologically related to Italian (i.e. Romance languages) was no guarantee that our groups of multilinguals would be facilitated in the interpretation of L2 gesture forms and meanings. Rather, the presence of verbal language in dialogues, the form of gesture, and familiarity with the nonverbal characteristics of interactions in the target language, helped participants succeed in this multimodal activity.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Literature review
  • 3.Our study
  • 4.Methodology
    • 4.1Participants and context
    • 4.2Procedure and tools
    • 4.3Data analysis and results
      • 4.3.1Responses of participants in Canada
        • Responses to question 1
        • Responses to question 2
        • Meaning equivalences
        • Interpretation of Italian gesture meanings
        • Matching dialogues
        • L1 body language versus Italian body language
      • 4.3.2Responses of participants in Italy
        • Responses to question 1
        • Responses to question 2
        • Meaning equivalences
        • Interpretation of Italian gesture meanings
        • Matching dialogues
        • L1 body language versus Italian body language
  • 5.Discussion
  • 6.Conclusions
  • Note
  • References
References (61)
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