Lap Counter Gestures: College

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  1. Title: Gestures using the Lap Counter, College Swimming
  2. Informant: AnnClaire MacArt, 20, Female.  AnnClaire (AC) was born and raised in Northern California.  She currently lives in Hanover, New Hampshire and is a sophomore at Dartmouth College.  AC is a member of the Dartmouth College Varsity Swimming and Diving Team.  She has swum competitively for over 10 years, including at the age group (club), high school, and now collegiate level.
  3. Customary: Gesture.  Material: Lap Counter.
  4. Language: English
  5. Country of Origin: United States
  6. Social / Cultural Context: Gestures are done with a lap counter by one swimmer while they are “counting” for another swimmer at a competition in order to communicate with the swimmer in the water.

  7. Small Excerpt from Interview with AnnClaire (0:20-0:30 specifically for this gesture)

  8. Transcript “The shaking, you have the slow shaking, you have the hold shaking, and the ‘let’s go!!’ shaking”
  9. Informant’s comments: The slow shaking of the lap counter indicates to slightly start picking up your pace.  It usually is performed at the beginning of the race.  When the lap counter is held steady, it means to stay at the pace that you’re currently going.  The fast shaking is usually used for the last part of the race, especially the last lap.
  10. Collector’s comments: AC is a distance swimmer and therefore has experience with the different gestures for a lap counter.
  11. Tags/Keywords: Gesture

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