Reporting Gesture and Voice in Reporting Speech: Co-verbal Language in Literature

In this paper we focus on the synergistic contribution of verbal and coverbal language to communication within the framework of reported speech in literary narrative texts. The analysis is based on two famous novels by Sciascia. First we highlight the double audiovisual structure of coverbal language. Then we review the different ways – different degrees of verbalization or transcription – in which one can report the vocal and kinesic behaviours which accompany speech in a written text. Finally, we focus on the possible relations between coverbal behaviour and meaning, evaluating which pragmatic and narrative functions result from the synergy between coverbal language and propositional content in building up the meaning of an act of speech and of reported speech.