How Meaning Emerges in Gestures. A Cognitive-semiotic Approach

This course addresses the questions of how gestures convey meaning in a given context and how we can determine the significance of a gesture. To tackle these questions, we will first introduce various approaches to analyzing gestures in order to enhance our awareness of the underlying principles guiding theinvestigation and to establish a solid foundation for our analytical approach. The main part of the course will be dedicated to the study of different types of gestures. Following a cognitive-semiotic approach to gestures, we will engage in fine-grained analyses of gestures based on their form and their relation to speech, exploring the range of meanings conveyed by gestures. Additionally, methods tailored for the study of different gesture types, including spontaneous and recurrent (conventionalized) ones will be introduced.
The integration of theory and method will be a fundamental aspect of our approach, fostering a comprehensive understanding of the subject matter through hands-on application and analysis.