ViSiCAST SiGML Gesture Semantics, SiGML Signing Gestures – Semantic Model Ralph Elliott, SYS, UEA ViSiCAST

ViSiCAST SiGML Gesture Semantics, Main Concepts (for Manual Gestures) Hand Configuration Location –in “signing space” –i.e. relative to the body of the signer Motion –i.e. “actions” of various kinds

ViSiCAST SiGML Gesture Semantics, Hand Configuration Hand Shape – hundreds of them Hand Orientation –“finger base orientation” –“palm orientation” –…”the 26 directions” from the centre of a cube to –vertices –midpoints of faces and edges

ViSiCAST SiGML Gesture Semantics, Location (i) Positions on head and body –e.g. top of head, nose, neck, chest level etc. Modifiers indicate –position on “left-centre-right” spectrum –“contact distance” touching, close, normal, far

ViSiCAST SiGML Gesture Semantics, Location (ii) Positions on (non-dominant) arm and hand –e.g. upper arm inside of elbow, ball of thumb, middle-joint-of-ring finger

ViSiCAST SiGML Gesture Semantics, Motion – Main Features Absolute – i.e. “targeted” –new hand positionand/or –new hand configuration Relative –direction of motion from initial configuration –implicit target … a “normal” distance

ViSiCAST SiGML Gesture Semantics, Motions – Composition Temporal Sequence –of distinct motionsand/or –repetitions of a single motion single or multiple Parallel –i.e. several motions over a single temporal interval

ViSiCAST SiGML Gesture Semantics, Directed Motion – Variants Straight Curved –small, medium or large curvature of arc Wavy and Zig-zag Circular and Elliptical –varying no. of rotations … All with varying direction/orientation

ViSiCAST SiGML Gesture Semantics, Motion – Modality Fast Slow Rest – “Stoppage at start” Tense Sudden Halt

ViSiCAST SiGML Gesture Semantics, In Addition... Specification of “two-handed” signs –various forms of symmetry –plus modifications Non-manual actions –e.g. shoulder-shrug, lip-movement –…definition under construction (at Hamburg)