Secrets in motion

doi:10.1075/ni.25013.dyr

Secrets in motion

2025-09-01

0

PRE

AI

T

Tomasz Dyrmo *

DOI：10.1075/ni.25013.dyr

Original

Original request for help

Save

Abstract

En 中文

This study explores the multimodal nature of metaphorical thought in coming out narratives, with a focus on the interplay between speech and gestures in the Polish language. Drawing on the metaphors knowing is seeing and secrets are objects, the paper examines how gestures embody and complement verbal expressions of revealing one's sexual orientation. Using a qualitative approach, the study analyzes a set of gestures from a coming out narrative, identifying systematic patterns expressed in image schemas (e.g., object, containment) and their role in shaping the coming out frame and the emerging metaphorical scenarios. The findings reveal that gestures not only align with verbal content but also add layers of meaning, enhancing the narrative's conceptual complexity over time. This research contributes to the understanding of multimodal communication in personal and culturally sensitive narratives, offering insights into metaphorical embodiment and narrative coherence.

Keywords:

coming out

narrative

metaphor

metaphorical gesture

metaphorical scenario

Secrets in motion

Abstract

Journal

Organization