Investigates how Mandarin speakers negotiate their participatory roles in multiparty conversation by using linguistic and nonlinguistic resources, highlighting two sequential contexts. Examination of recorded conversation reveals that one recurrent linguistic resource in both contexts is a turn-initial discourse-particle plus an additional turn…

Argues that on-line linguistic choices are made in a matrix of continuous discourse connection. Investigates hypotheses concerning communicative dynamism. Identifies gestures as reflective of the status of utterances. Interprets correlations of gestures and linguistic material as reflective of an underlying unity. (HB)

Presents the results of a study analyzing students' gestures and scientific discourse by supporting three assertions about the relationship between laboratory experiences, gestures, and scientific discourse. Discusses the implications for laboratory experiments which students should attempt to explain while still in the lab rather than afterwards…

Describes how interactive hand gestures made during conversation help maintain the conversation as a social system. Relates the methods and results of three experiments designed to test this theory. Finds that interactive gestures maintain involvement with the interlocutor without interrupting the flow of conversation. (HB)

Studies discourse cohesion from the perspective of a speech/gesture synthesis. Presents cross-cultural evidence showing the joint contribution made by both speech and gesture to the process of creating discourse topics. Proposes a dialectical model of discourse production. (HB)