Il senso compiuto delle parole: esempi di grammelot

Abstract

Multimodality is the natural condition of human communication, thanks to which the human beings build social meaningful messages. The use of a unique channel and code seems to be an exception rather than the norm in human communication. Grammelot is an extreme manifestation of the ability to use different channels and codes to transmit a meaning which actualizes only in performance. The essay presents a communicative analysis of three examples of grammelot performed by different authors/performers: Hynkel’s speech at the military meeting in the movie The Great Dictator by Charlie Chaplin and two theatrical performances, La fame dello Zanni in Mistero Buffo by Dario Fo and the Neapolitan grammelot in A me gli occhi, please by Gigi Proietti. We propose here an analysis which considers the different elements naturally composing the puzzle of communication (verbal production, gestures, body movements, face expressions and situational context). The different authors combine them to produce the impression of a real language through invented sounds, words and expressions in very different ways. The result is a sort of identikit of the three performances, which reveals a very sophisticated use of communicative devices, depending on the linguistic and sociolinguistic features the authors associate to grammelot.