Anecdotal evidence suggests that both pitch range and
gestures contribute to the perception of speakers\u2019 liveliness in
speech. However, the relation between speakers\u2019 pitch range
and gestures has received little attention. It is possible that
variations in pitch range might be accompanied by variations
in gestures, and vice versa. In second language speech, the
relation between pitch range and gestures might also be
affected by speakers\u2019 difficulty in speaking the L2. In this
pilot study we compare global pitch range and gesture rate in
the speech of 3 native Italian speakers, telling the same story
once in Italian and twice in English as part of an in-class oral
presentation task. The hypothesis tested is that contextual
factors, such as speakers\u2019 nervousness with the task, cause
speakers to use narrow pitch range and limited gestures; a
greater ease with the task, due to its repetition, cause speakers
to use a wider pitch range and more gestures. This
experimental hypothesis is partially confirmed by the results
of this study
