A1 Journal article (refereed)
The more you move, the more action you construct : a motion capture study on head and upper-torso movements in constructed action in Finnish Sign Language narratives (2021)

Jantunen, T., De Weerdt, D., Burger, B., & Puupponen, A. (2021). The more you move, the more action you construct : a motion capture study on head and upper-torso movements in constructed action in Finnish Sign Language narratives. Gesture, 19(1), 76-101. https://doi.org/10.1075/gest.19042.jan

JYU authors or editors

Publication details

All authors or editors: Jantunen, Tommi; De Weerdt, Danny; Burger, Birgitta; Puupponen, Anna

Journal or series: Gesture

ISSN: 1568-1475

eISSN: 1569-9773

Publication year: 2021

Publication date: 15/04/2021

Volume: 19

Issue number: 1

Pages range: 76-101

Publisher: John Benjamins Publishing Company

Publication country: Netherlands

Publication language: English

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1075/gest.19042.jan

Publication open access: Not open

Publication channel open access: 

Publication is parallel published (JYX): https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/75961

Abstract

This paper investigates, with the help of motion capture data processed on corpus principles, the characteristics of head and upper-torso movements in constructed action and regular narration (i.e., signing without constructed action) in FinSL. Specifically, the paper evaluates the validity of two arguments concerning constructed action: that constructed action forms a continuum with regular narration, and that constructed action divides into three subtypes (i.e., overt, reduced, and subtle). The results presented in the paper support the first argument but not directly the second one. Because of the ambiguous position of reduced constructed action in between subtle and overt constructed action, we argue in the paper that the present three-part typology of constructed action may need revising. As an alternative way of subcategorizing the phenomenon we propose a division between strong and weak constructed action.

Keywords: sign language; Finnish Sign Language; narration; gestures; motion capture; kinematics

Free keywords: constructed action; narration; motion capture; kinematics; sign language; Finnish sign language

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Ministry reporting: Yes

VIRTA submission year: 2021

JUFO rating: 2