Schlenker, Philippe: 2016. Gestural Predicates: Assertions and Presuppositions [Squib].  Manuscript, Institut Jean-Nicod and New York University.

[Full paper at LingBuzz]



Abstract:   We argue that some gestures can replace predicates in spoken language, and that unlike standard co-speech gestures, they make an assertive contribution. But some of them also trigger presuppositions, which in simple cases are analogous to those of words with a comparable bivalent content. This suggests that presupposition generation is not a lexical process but may be the result of 'triggering algorithm', or alternatively that the mechanism that interprets dynamic iconic representations may derive presuppositions from them.