Loulou Kosmala
2024
Learning through gesture: embodied repetitions in tandem interactions
Loulou Kosmala
Proceedings of the 2024 CLASP Conference on Multimodality and Interaction in Language Learning
Grounded in an interactional approach, this corpus-based study presents an analysis of multimodal tandem interactions held in English between tandem partners (L1 and L2 speakers) to study other-repetitions across different levels and modalities. In particular, I investigate cases of embodied repetitions in contexts of co-construction and repair whereby tandem partners negotiate meaning. Based on careful micro-analyses of data fragments, analyses reveal different types of temporal coordination between the repetition of the target item and/or of the gesture, addressing specific issues at different linguistic levels. While repetitions typically occur in linguistic-oriented contexts, emerging gestures may further contribute to mutual understanding and alignment.