Hands gesturing with words being formed by light.

Unlock Your Words: How Gestures Can Help with Word-Finding Difficulties

Beau Callahan in Health & Wellness December 2025 • 3 min read.

"Discover the surprising power of gestures in overcoming word retrieval challenges, both in aphasia and everyday communication."

Gestures are more than just hand movements; they are integral to how we communicate. While most agree that gestures enhance speech, some researchers argue they actively facilitate it, especially when we struggle to find the right words. This is particularly relevant for individuals with aphasia, a language disorder often resulting from stroke.

New research sheds light on the role of gestures in word-finding difficulties (WFD), both for people with aphasia (PWA) and neurologically healthy individuals (NHP). The study, conducted by Judith Kistner, Lucy T. Dipper, and Jane Marshall, explores how gestures accompany and potentially aid in resolving these communication breakdowns.

This article dives into the findings of this research, revealing how gestures function in conversation, their connection to WFD, and the implications for improving communication for everyone.

The Gesture-Word Connection: More Than Just Ornamentation?

Hands gesturing with words being formed by light.

The study analyzed spontaneous conversations of 20 PWA and 21 NHP, focusing on the production of semantically rich gestures (those conveying meaning, like iconics, metaphorics, pantomimes) and their relationship to speech. The researchers examined whether these gestures occurred more often during WFD and if they helped resolve those difficulties.

Here are key aspects that researchers looked at:

Semantic Gestures: Gestures conveying information either alongside or independent of speech.
Word-Finding Difficulty (WFD): Instances where participants struggled to retrieve words, indicated by pauses, circumlocutions, or semantic errors.
Resolution: Whether the WFD was successfully resolved with the correct word.
Co-occurrence: Whether gestures accompanied fluent speech, WFD, or occurred in the absence of speech.

The analysis revealed that both groups frequently used semantically rich gestures. The critical finding was that gestures were most commonly associated with resolved WFD, particularly among PWA. This suggests a facilitative role, where gestures may indeed help individuals retrieve the words they are searching for.

Gestures as Communication Tools: Practical Takeaways

This research highlights the power of gesture, in everyday communication. By being more aware of our gestures and encouraging their use, we can potentially enhance our communication skills.

Specifically, the study underscores that incorporating gestures can be a useful tool for those with aphasia and other language challenges. Recognizing the facilitative role of gestures opens the door for innovative approaches in aphasia therapy, promoting natural communication strategies.

Further research exploring the timing and content of gestures promises to provide even deeper insights into the gesture-word connection. For now, embrace your gestures – they might just be the key to unlocking your words.

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.1080/02687038.2018.1541343, Alternate LINK

Title: The Use And Function Of Gestures In Word-Finding Difficulties In Aphasia

Subject: LPN and LVN

Journal: Aphasiology

Publisher: Informa UK Limited

Authors: Judith Kistner, Lucy T. Dipper, Jane Marshall

Published: 2018-11-18

Everything You Need To Know

How do gestures help when someone is struggling to find the right word?

The research indicates that semantically rich gestures, such as iconics, metaphorics, and pantomimes, appear to play a significant role in overcoming word-finding difficulties. The study by Judith Kistner, Lucy T. Dipper, and Jane Marshall found these gestures were frequently associated with instances where word-finding difficulties were successfully resolved, especially among people with aphasia. This suggests gestures are more than just accompaniment; they may actively help in retrieving the correct word.

What exactly is meant by 'word-finding difficulty' in this context?

In the context of this study, word-finding difficulty (WFD) refers to instances where individuals struggle to retrieve a specific word. These struggles are typically indicated by pauses in speech, circumlocutions (talking around the word), or semantic errors (using a related but incorrect word). The researchers, Judith Kistner, Lucy T. Dipper, and Jane Marshall, analyzed how frequently these instances occurred and whether gestures played a role in resolving them.

What are 'semantic gestures,' and how are they relevant to word retrieval?

Semantic gestures are gestures that convey meaning, either alongside or independent of speech. These include iconic gestures that represent concrete objects or actions, metaphoric gestures that express abstract ideas, and pantomimes that act out a scenario. The study conducted by Judith Kistner, Lucy T. Dipper, and Jane Marshall focused on these gestures to understand how they relate to and potentially facilitate word retrieval, especially in people with aphasia and neurologically healthy participants experiencing word-finding difficulty.

Based on this information, how can I use gestures to improve my communication?

This research, by Judith Kistner, Lucy T. Dipper, and Jane Marshall, suggests that incorporating gestures into everyday communication could enhance our ability to express ourselves, particularly when we struggle to find the right words. The study indicates that being more aware of the gestures we use, and encouraging others to gesture as well, might provide a tangible benefit in overcoming communication breakdowns and improving overall communication effectiveness for both people with aphasia and neurologically healthy individuals.

How does aphasia relate to the use of gestures in communication?

Aphasia is a language disorder often resulting from stroke. Individuals with aphasia often experience difficulties with various aspects of communication, including word retrieval. The study by Judith Kistner, Lucy T. Dipper, and Jane Marshall, explored how gestures might assist individuals with aphasia in overcoming word-finding difficulties (WFD). The researchers analyzed conversations of people with aphasia and neurologically healthy individuals. The study revealed that gestures were most commonly associated with resolved WFD, particularly among those with aphasia suggesting a facilitative role where gestures may help retrieve words they are searching for.