Language Is Gesture

A new way of viewing language, as a dynamic mode of meaning-making of which gesture is a fundamental part.

When David McNeill began his work on gesture more than 40 years ago, language and the action of speaking were regarded as separate realms. But language, says McNeill in
Gesture is the engine of language. It is foundational to speaking, language acquisition, the origin of language, animal communication, thought, and consciousness. Gesture is global and synthetic and brings energy; speech is linear and segmented and brings cultural standards. The growth point is a snapshot of an utterance at its beginning psychological stage, the starting point of unifying thought and speech. Growth points create gesture–speech unity by synchronizing a bundle of linguistic features with a gesture that carries the same meaning. This gesture–speech unity is a form of thought, a unique form of cognition.

About the author

David McNeill

Product details

• Authors: G. David McNeill, David McNeill, G David McNeill, G. David McNeill, McNeill David
• Publisher: The MIT Press
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Release: 05.08.2025
• EAN: 9780262552912
• ISBN: 978-0-262-55291-2
• No. of pages: 240
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Linguistics and literary studies > General and comparative linguistics; Non-fiction book > Dictionaries, reference works > Foreign-language dictionaries; Philosophy of Language, Linguistics, PHILOSOPHY / Language, LANGUAGE ARTS & DISCIPLINES / Linguistics / General, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Body Language & Nonverbal Communication, Communication Studies