Visuo-spatial construals that aid in understanding activity in visual-centred narrative. Issue 4 (5th May 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Napoli, Donna Jo; Leeson, Lorraine
• Is Part Of: Language, cognition and neuroscience. Volume 35:Issue 4(2020)
• Page Start: 440
• Page End: 465
• Publication Date: 2020-05-05
• Subjects: Sign languages -- visual narrative -- depiction -- iconicity -- construals about activity; Psycholinguistics -- Periodicals; Linguistics -- Periodicals; Neurosciences -- Periodicals; Psycholinguïstiek; Cognitieve processen; Linguistics; Neurosciences; Psycholinguistics; Periodicals; 401.9
• DOI: 10.1080/23273798.2020.1744672
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2327-3798

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Cohn (2016) posits two constraints critical to understanding sequential static images as narrative – the continuity constraint, assuring that elements in one frame are coreferential with elements in other frames, and the activity constraint, assuring that states in each frame are related with respect to passing of time, shifting of vantage point, or other factors relevant to activity. We identify seven construals used in ordinary human understanding of the physical world that help account for how viewers interpret activity in static visual narratives and that we propose form the foundation of the activity constraint. In an elicitation experiment, these construals also supported understanding of depicted activity in dynamic storytelling in Irish Sign Language, suggesting that a range of action information in sign language narratives is conveyed via reliance on visuo-spatial construals independent of language.