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Updated: Feb 15, 2026

Author Spotlight: Deciphering the Cognitive and Neural Mechanisms of Gesture in Communication
Published on: January 26, 2024
How to distinguish gesture from sign: New technology is not the answer
1School of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences,San Diego State University,San Diego,CA 92120.kemmorey@mail.sdsu.eduhttp://slhs.sdsu.edu/llcn/.
Abstract:
Linguistic and psycholinguistic tests will be more useful than motion capture technology in calibrating the borders between sign and gesture. The analogy between motion capture (mocap) technology and the spectrograph is flawed because only vocal articulators are hidden. Although information about gradience and variability will be obtained, the technology provides less information about linguistic constraints and categories. Better models are needed to account for differences between co-speech and co-sign gesture (e.g., different degrees of optionality, existence of beat gestures).
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