MODIFICATIONS AND FREQUENCY OCCURRENCE OF GESTURES IN NS - NS AND NNS - NS DYADS

Abstract

In this study, I investigate cross-linguistic differences and similarities in the speech associated gesture in the NS (Native Speaker) - NS and NNS (Nonnative Speaker) - NS dyads when they are telling a narrative. The gesture production between Indonesian native speakers when communicating in Indonesian (L1) and in English (L2) was coded and assessed based on Mc.Neill's model of overall gesture units. The Indonesian speakers' gesture modification when interacting in English was measured by the size of the gestures. The results indicate that Indonesian native speakers gesture more when they communicate in English and modify their gestures by making them bigger and therefore more noticeable to their interlocutors. They use gestures as a communication strategy to help interlocutors comprehend their idea.