Talking and gesturing: Relationships between spoken language and coverbal gesture

The issue of the relationship between speech and co-verbal gestures has been the object of numerous studies without any consensus being reached. This paper investigates current and past approaches to this issue. It appears that, contrary to McNeill’s point of view (2005), interactions between language and co-verbal gestures do not occur solely within the global communication system. Indeed, such interactions can also occur during motor planning and the performance of communicative behaviors, and can lead to either facilitation or competition between both modes of communication (Feyereisen, 2007). We discuss the implications for more effective management of patients with language disorders, such as aphasia or patients with Alzheimer’s disease.