Defining Pantomime for Language Evolution Research
The article “Defining Pantomime for Language Evolution Research” by Przemysław Żywiczyński and colleagues explores the role of pantomime in language evolution research, striving for a precise definition of this phenomenon. The authors argue that pantomime—a communicative mode that is mimetic, non-conventional, and multimodal—is used differently across various scientific disciplines, often leading to misunderstandings.
They define pantomime as a form of communication that is holistic, improvised, and physically expressed using the entire body, not just the hands. Pantomime is capable of communicating complex and abstract content without pre-established meaning conventions, making it significant in language evolution research.
The authors also discuss how pantomime requires cognitive abilities like perspective-taking and how it could serve as a bridge to the development of conventional language. The work aims to structure and simplify terminology and discussion in language evolution research by proposing a clear distinction between gestural and pantomimic communication.
For pantomimes, this article could be particularly enlightening as it highlights the profound cognitive and communicative aspects of pantomime that go beyond traditional stage performance, offering insights into its evolutionary and communicative significance.