Project description
A closer look at spatial deictic expressions and pointing gestures
To point to objects in the world, people use spoken deictic expressions (like ‘this’ and ‘that,’ ‘here’ and ‘there') and gestures of the head and hands. The EU-funded REaCHeS project investigates how speakers use these signals during direction-giving. Specifically, the project focuses on spoken deictic expressions and pointing gestures in speakers of Eastern Chatino (a Zapotecan language used in Oaxaca, Mexico). This lesser-studied language has a rich set of spoken deictics, as well as pointing gestures that convey information about the distance of the target. The project explores how people combine the many information-rich pointing signals available to them during real-world navigation and direction-giving activities.
Objective
To locate objects in the world, speakers typically use two linked indicating behaviours: spatial deictic expressions and pointing gestures. A growing body of research focuses on both of these indicating types, asking how semantic information is encoded in each modality, and investigating the factors that condition speakers’ use of indicating strategies in isolation and in combination. The proposed research programme will explore these questions by examining multimodal indicating behaviours in speakers of Eastern Chatino (Zapotecan, Otomanguan). The language presents an ideal system for examination because of its typologically unusual demonstrative system; its manual pointing system with distance-encoding formational distinctions; and its additional lip pointing system. The planned research programme comprises two studies that probe the semantic encodings of demonstratives and lip- and manual pointing, as well as the factors that motivate speakers to combine them. In Study 1, semistructured interviews will be performed in which speakers describe features of the landscape while walking familiar routes. Video and audio recordings of the multimodal talk in these interviews will be analysed using traditional tools of descriptive linguistics, along with a GIS tool adapted expressly for the research programme to encode the relative geospatial positions of speakers, addressees, and referents. Analysis will generate hypotheses about semantic distinctions encoded in various demonstrative and pointing forms. These, in turn, will be tested In Study 2, a more controlled quasi-experiment (a referential communication task) designed to isolate factors like distance and in/visibility of referent that are often coupled in discourse environments. The research programme is ambitious in its use of new tools to examine multimodal behaviour in a lesser-studied language. Expertise of Chatino speakers and researchers from multiple linguistic subdisciplines will inform its design.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- humanities languages and literature linguistics
- natural sciences earth and related environmental sciences physical geography cartography geographic information systems
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Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
MAIN PROGRAMME
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H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
MSCA-IF-EF-ST - Standard EF
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) H2020-MSCA-IF-2018
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
22100 Lund
Sweden
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.