Motion event representation in L1-Turkish versus L2-English speech and gesture: Relations to eye movements for event components

Purpose: We investigated interrelations among speech, co-speech gestures, and visual attention in first language (L1)-Turkish second language (L2)-English speakers’ descriptions of motion events. We asked whether young adults differed in their spoken, gestural expressions, and visual attention toward event components of manner (how an action is performed) and path (the trajectory of an action) after controlling for their L2 proficiency. Methodology: Participants were 49 native Turkish speakers ( M age = 20.98) whose second language is English. After watching each video (recording eye movements), they were asked to describe the motion event videos, and their speech and gesture were coded. English competence level was measured using a standardized assessment. Data and Analysis: We performed analyses of covariance (ANCOVAs) to investigate both within- and across-language differences for L1-Turkish and L2-English spoken and gestural expressions. To analyze eye-gaze behaviors with respect to language and event component differences, we performed t-tests. Last, hierarchical linear regressions were conducted to examine the relationship between visual attention and the use of path and manner in speech and gesture separately. Findings: For L1-Turkish speech, participants used more path than manner constructions, indicating no particular effect of L2 on L1. For L2-English, participants used similar amounts of path and manner descriptions. Path gestures dominated for both L1-Turkish and L2-English. Participants allocated more attention to figures possibly related to manners rather than grounds (paths). There was no effect of L2 proficiency on verbal and gestural explanations or visual attention to events. Originality: This study adopts an integrative approach through investigating speech, gesture, and eye-gaze behavior patterns in motion event conceptualization while also addressing L1 and L2 differences within this framework. Implications: These findings highlight the similarities in visual attention and the use of gestures across L1-Turkish and L2-English motion event descriptions, and only an expected difference in verbal expressions.