Language Structure: Foundations of Meta-agentic Communication

Communication with the Soundpainting sign language follows a simple, four-fold syntax—who/what/how/when. The syntax specifies the order in which different types of signs may be given. Due to the syntax, Soundpainting phrases generally specify who will carry out the instruction contained in the phrase, what to do and/or how to do it, as well as when to carry out the instruction. In this chapter, I argue that this rather rigid communication protocol affords a potentially rich dialogue between the soundpainter and the ensemble as it ensures that fundamental dimensions of creative agency are described in all utterances. The resulting meta-agentic communication thus provides an important processual scaffolding that ensures a mutual understanding of the ever-changing distribution of possibilities for action across the ensemble, giving the collective improvisation a level of maneuverability due to interactional transparency.