Chapter 7. Discourse markers in variation
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Sarah Sinnott
Abstract
This chapter explores the variation between the Spanish discourse markers por tanto and por lo tanto from a pragmatic perspective. The data, extracted from a corpus built using blog commentary, are categorized according to the type of causality expressed in the construction, as well as whether or not the speaker is involved in a verbal argument. Analysis reveals that por lo tanto is used more frequently than por tanto when epistemic causality is expressed as well as when the speaker is engaged in an argument. This leads to the conclusion that por lo tanto contributes greater argumentative strength to an utterance than does por tanto.
Abstract
This chapter explores the variation between the Spanish discourse markers por tanto and por lo tanto from a pragmatic perspective. The data, extracted from a corpus built using blog commentary, are categorized according to the type of causality expressed in the construction, as well as whether or not the speaker is involved in a verbal argument. Analysis reveals that por lo tanto is used more frequently than por tanto when epistemic causality is expressed as well as when the speaker is engaged in an argument. This leads to the conclusion that por lo tanto contributes greater argumentative strength to an utterance than does por tanto.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Introduction 1
-
Part I. Population migration and contact-induced language change
- Chapter 1. Spatial reconfigurations of Spanish in postmodernity 11
- Chapter 2. Female migration and its impact on language choice and use among Afro-Costa Rican women 35
- Chapter 3. Hard come, easy go 63
-
Part II. Internal and external factors in pragmatic variation
- Chapter 4. Afro-Hispanic contact varieties at the syntax/pragmatics interface 85
- Chapter 5. Borrowed Spanish discourse markers in narrative 111
- Chapter 6. Hasta perder la última gota de mi sangre 127
- Chapter 7. Discourse markers in variation 153
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Part III. Morphosyntactic variation and change
- Chapter 8. Yo no le conocí a mi abuela 175
- Chapter 9. Attitudes toward morphosyntactic variation in the Spanish of Valencian speakers 199
- Chapter 10. Stable variation or change in progress? A sociolinguistic analysis of pa(ra) in the Spanish of Venezuela 223
-
Part IV. Current issues in bilingual variation
- Chapter 11. El futuro es perifrástico 249
- Chapter 12. L2 Spanish in the U.S. and the question of motivation 279
- Chapter 13. Espero estén todos 299
- Index 335
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Introduction 1
-
Part I. Population migration and contact-induced language change
- Chapter 1. Spatial reconfigurations of Spanish in postmodernity 11
- Chapter 2. Female migration and its impact on language choice and use among Afro-Costa Rican women 35
- Chapter 3. Hard come, easy go 63
-
Part II. Internal and external factors in pragmatic variation
- Chapter 4. Afro-Hispanic contact varieties at the syntax/pragmatics interface 85
- Chapter 5. Borrowed Spanish discourse markers in narrative 111
- Chapter 6. Hasta perder la última gota de mi sangre 127
- Chapter 7. Discourse markers in variation 153
-
Part III. Morphosyntactic variation and change
- Chapter 8. Yo no le conocí a mi abuela 175
- Chapter 9. Attitudes toward morphosyntactic variation in the Spanish of Valencian speakers 199
- Chapter 10. Stable variation or change in progress? A sociolinguistic analysis of pa(ra) in the Spanish of Venezuela 223
-
Part IV. Current issues in bilingual variation
- Chapter 11. El futuro es perifrástico 249
- Chapter 12. L2 Spanish in the U.S. and the question of motivation 279
- Chapter 13. Espero estén todos 299
- Index 335
