ABSTRACT
This chapter argues for a strong connection between the material foundations of activity and second language acquisition (SLA), as generated, in this instance, through gesture (also see McCafferty 2006). The specific focus is on the use of metaphoric gestures and verbal conceptual metaphors concerning ideal marriage as produced by an adult Japanese second language (L2) speaker of English, an immigrant to North America. The theoretical orientation towards gesture is grounded on the work of David McNeill, who takes a Vygotskian view of thinking and speaking, arguing that gesturing is an integral aspect of this process as well, so that meaning making (semiosis) in face-to-face interaction, both for self and other, is a process that involves both visiospatial imagery (gesture) and analytic, hierarchical ordering (language). However, I will also argue that gesture can become the primary modality of both thought and communication simultaneously.
