gesticulation

gesticulation
gesticulation, gesture
1. Gesture is a somewhat older word (15c) than gesticulation (16c), and both are related to Latin gestus meaning ‘action’. In current use they overlap in their meanings to do with movement of the body or parts of the body as a mode of expression, and it is the degree of animation that governs the choice, gesticulation indicating a much more theatrical movement of the arms or body. The extended meaning of gesture, ‘a friendly action intended to evoke a positive response’, first came into English as recently as the early 20c:

• The gift of your Medal of Honour to a British comrade in arms…is a gesture of friendly sympathy and good will which we will not forget —Times, 1921

• Flowers didn't occur to Sneed until he had arrived at the hospital, and there the gesture was pointless —G. F. Newman, 1970.

2. A neologism from the end of the 20c that has extended this use is gesture politics, defined as ‘political action which concentrates primarily on publicity value and influencing public opinion’. It is normally used with connotations of disapproval:

• There is no room for gesture politics. If we want to open debate about the future and our constitution, that is fine —Daily Mail, 1995.


Modern English usage. 2014.

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  • gesticulation — [ ʒɛstikylasjɔ̃ ] n. f. • 1495 « mouvement violent »; lat. gesticulatio 1 ♦ Action de gesticuler. Évoquer, exprimer qqch. par la gesticulation. ⇒ pantomime. Des gesticulations frénétiques. 2 ♦ Milit. Manœuvres destinées à impressionner l… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • gesticulation — Gesticulation. s. f. Trop de gestes dans le discours. Gesticulation continuelle. trop grande gesticulation …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie française

  • Gesticulation — Ges*tic u*la tion, n. [L. gesticulatio: cf. F. gesticulation.] 1. The act of gesticulating, or making gestures to express passion or enforce sentiments. [1913 Webster] 2. A gesture; a motion of the body or limbs in speaking, or in representing… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Gesticulatĭon — (v. lat.), der Ausdruck von Vorstellungen, Gemüthsbewegungen u. Willensbestimmungen durch Körperbewegungen, bes. der Hände. Sie ist eine natürliche Zeichensprache, u. bei Lebhaftigkeit der Empfindungen ist sie ein begleitender höherer Ausdruck… …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • Gesticulation — Gesticulation, lat. dtsch., Geberdenspiel; Gesten, Geberden …   Herders Conversations-Lexikon

  • gesticulation — early 15c., from L. gesticulationem (nom. gesticulatio), noun of action from pp. stem of gesticulari to gesture, mimic, from gesticulus a mimicking gesture, dim. of gestus (see GEST (Cf. gest)) …   Etymology dictionary

  • gesticulation — *gesture …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • gesticulation — [jes tik΄yo͞o lā′shən, jes tik΄yəlā′shən] n. [L gesticulatio] 1. a gesticulating 2. a gesture, esp. an energetic one gesticulatory [jes tik΄yələ tôr΄ē] adj …   English World dictionary

  • gesticulation — (jè sti ku la sion ; en vers, de six syllabes) s. f. Action de gesticuler. •   L imitateur arrive à sa fin, ou par le discours seul, ou par la gesticulation (car il faut que je me serve de ce mot), ou par le chant, GODEAU Disc. sur Malherbe..… …   Dictionnaire de la Langue Française d'Émile Littré

  • GESTICULATION — s. f. Action de gesticuler. Gesticulation ridicule …   Dictionnaire de l'Academie Francaise, 7eme edition (1835)

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