Volume 6 - Issue 16 (2026-07-02)

Kinesics analysis of the Away gesture family in selected Arabic podcasts and TV shows

1- Researcher: Maryam Kareem Saeed

2- Prof: Hasan Shaban Ali Al -Thalab

Tikrit University- College of Education for Humanities

The current study examines multimodal approaches that highlight the range of modes people use to make meaning beyond language, such as gestures, facial expressions, and body posture. Kinesics plays a significant role in enhancing effective communication skills. It is employed to portray emotions, emphasize, or contradict what is being said. This study aims to identify how English and Arabic cultures diverge or converge in their use of kinesics. In addition to illustrating the structure of each gesture type by examining how gestures go hand in hand with verbal interaction, it also identifies the function of each gesture type by investigating the linguistic features of each gesture family in relation to its accompanying speech. Finally, to show how gestures mean. To achieve these aims, 16 Arabic TV shows and podcasts in four discourse types (social, political, religious, and sports) are analyzed qualitatively. The data are analyzed based on Kendon's (2004) segmentations (preparation, stroke, and retraction) to investigate the temporal relationship between gestures and speech. In addition, Bressem et al (2013) linguistic description, and Mittelberg's (2006) classification of metonymic processes are employed to investigate their function and meaning. The major findings revealed that Arabic interlocutors converge in employing the away gesture family; these gestures have conventionalized functions transcended across discourse genres. The most common syntactic slot that is occupied by gestures is the clausal level. Modal and performative functions are the most dominant functions that are associated with the Away gesture family. A complementary function is a common function. The Away gesture is motivated by internal metonymy. Finally, the study concludes that discourse type does not inherently influence the function of gestures.