The at-issue status of (modified) pro-speech gestures

Abstract

Data from Schlenker (2021) suggests that modifications of pro-speech gestures—for example, a lifting gesture modified by trembling of the hands and facial expressions to convey effort—contribute not-at-issue meaning. If this is the case, modified pro-speech gestures convey information across two semantic dimensions simultaneously: the neutral pro-speech gesture contributes at-issue meaning, while the modification adds not-at-issue content. Presenting results from a rating study, I provide empirical support for this claim and offer novel experimental evidence confirming that pro-speech gestures contribute at-issue meaning.