Resumen de It's as far as the arm can raise: pointing height marks target distance among the San Juan Quiahije Chatino
This study investigates the form of deictic gestures used by speakers of the Quiahije variety of Eastern Chatino (Otomangean, Zapotecan) spoken in Oaxaca, Mexico. An analysis of over six hours of interviews about local landmarks reveals that Quiahije Chatino speakers consistently use the far-is-up strategy to convey target distance in their deictic gestures—the farther the target, the higher and more expansive the form of the gesture. Participants in the study consistently used the far-is-up strategy to modify two types of deictic gestures: points and ‘go’ emblems (a gesture conveying forward motion). For points alone, participants combined the far-is-up strategy with the use of distinct handshapes for pointing to nearby versus distant targets. By systematically examining how deictic gestures are modified in one community in Mexico, this study lays the groundwork for further comparative and typological research on gestural deixis.
