Spatial constructions of time: exploring Co-speech gestures in lectures on programming

Abstract Spatiotemporal metaphors strongly affect our language about time. Time can be construed as an object that moves through space ( time flies ) or as a landscape through which we move ( we are heading towards the weekend ). Evidence of how speakers construe time can be found by observing their gestures. This study explores spatial constructions of time in co-speech gestures during programming lectures in Swedish upper-secondary classrooms. Data were collected from teachers’ co-speech gestures while lecturing on programming, a context rich in temporal and sequential references. The results show that the teachers gesture in three directions, each with a specific function. Gestures along the vertical axis are used to talk about writing code as events on a vertical timeline. The programming convention where code lines are ordered top-down, indicating events in a particular order, is suggested as an explanation. Gestures along the sagittal axis are used when the teachers take an internal perspective. Gestures along the lateral axis are used when discussing events. This is a first exploration of how time concepts are construed in Swedish programming classrooms. The research provides a foundation for more extensive studies on the role of co-speech gestures in conceptualising time, particularly in educational settings involving technological interfaces.