17 An introduction to discourse markers
-
Bruce Fraser
Abstract
Discourse markers are words or phrases, such as well, but, and frankly, which usually occur at the beginning of an utterance and serve as conceptual glue which binds together the material from the preceding utterance to that of the following sentence. Though they are homophonous with lexical items, they are separate linguistic entities, with distinct meanings, and are essential for making a conversation sound natural and unstilted. While the second language learner will acquire these elements late in the acquisition process, they will encounter them early on and should become familiar with them. The goal of this chapter is to provide an overview of discourse markers and to briefly discuss teaching discourse markers in a second language.
Abstract
Discourse markers are words or phrases, such as well, but, and frankly, which usually occur at the beginning of an utterance and serve as conceptual glue which binds together the material from the preceding utterance to that of the following sentence. Though they are homophonous with lexical items, they are separate linguistic entities, with distinct meanings, and are essential for making a conversation sound natural and unstilted. While the second language learner will acquire these elements late in the acquisition process, they will encounter them early on and should become familiar with them. The goal of this chapter is to provide an overview of discourse markers and to briefly discuss teaching discourse markers in a second language.
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter I
- Preface V
- Acknowledgements XI
- Contents XIII
- List of contributors XVII
- Introduction 1
-
Part I: Learning and teaching speech acts
- 1 Pragmatic competence and speech-act research in second language pragmatics 11
- 2 Systemic functional linguistics applied to analyze L2 speech acts: Analysis of advice-giving in a written text 27
- 3 Learning about L2 Spanish requests abroad through classroom and ethnography-based pragmatics instruction 58
- 4 Effectiveness of a post-study abroad pedagogical intervention in learning compliments and compliment responses in L2 Spanish 81
- 5 ¡Madre mía de mi alma!: Pragmalinguistic variation and gender differences in perception of piropos in Badajoz, Spain 103
-
Part II: Assessing pragmatic competence
- 6 Assessing L2 pragmatic competence 131
- 7 Testing of L2 pragmatics: The challenge of implicit knowledge 142
- 8 The DCT as a data collection method for L2 humor production 156
- 9 Strategic competence and pragmatic proficiency in L2 role plays 179
-
Part III: Analyzing discourses in L2 digital contexts
- 10 Researching digital discourse in second language pragmatics 197
- 11 Pragmalinguistic variation in L2 Spanish e-mail requests: Learner strategies and instructor perceptions 208
- 12 Affordances of game-enhanced learning: A classroom intervention for enhancing concept-based pragmatics instruction 236
-
Part IV: Current issues in L2 pragmatics
- 13 Explicit knowledge in L2 pragmatics? 255
- 14 Studying speech acts: An expanded scope and refined methodologies 270
- 15 Converging agendas of rationalist and discursive approaches for the development of a pedagogy of L2 pragmatics 286
- 16 From a native-nonnative speaker dichotomy to a translingual framework 300
- 17 An introduction to discourse markers 314
- Epilogue: A personal tribute to Andrew Cohen 336
- Index 339
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter I
- Preface V
- Acknowledgements XI
- Contents XIII
- List of contributors XVII
- Introduction 1
-
Part I: Learning and teaching speech acts
- 1 Pragmatic competence and speech-act research in second language pragmatics 11
- 2 Systemic functional linguistics applied to analyze L2 speech acts: Analysis of advice-giving in a written text 27
- 3 Learning about L2 Spanish requests abroad through classroom and ethnography-based pragmatics instruction 58
- 4 Effectiveness of a post-study abroad pedagogical intervention in learning compliments and compliment responses in L2 Spanish 81
- 5 ¡Madre mía de mi alma!: Pragmalinguistic variation and gender differences in perception of piropos in Badajoz, Spain 103
-
Part II: Assessing pragmatic competence
- 6 Assessing L2 pragmatic competence 131
- 7 Testing of L2 pragmatics: The challenge of implicit knowledge 142
- 8 The DCT as a data collection method for L2 humor production 156
- 9 Strategic competence and pragmatic proficiency in L2 role plays 179
-
Part III: Analyzing discourses in L2 digital contexts
- 10 Researching digital discourse in second language pragmatics 197
- 11 Pragmalinguistic variation in L2 Spanish e-mail requests: Learner strategies and instructor perceptions 208
- 12 Affordances of game-enhanced learning: A classroom intervention for enhancing concept-based pragmatics instruction 236
-
Part IV: Current issues in L2 pragmatics
- 13 Explicit knowledge in L2 pragmatics? 255
- 14 Studying speech acts: An expanded scope and refined methodologies 270
- 15 Converging agendas of rationalist and discursive approaches for the development of a pedagogy of L2 pragmatics 286
- 16 From a native-nonnative speaker dichotomy to a translingual framework 300
- 17 An introduction to discourse markers 314
- Epilogue: A personal tribute to Andrew Cohen 336
- Index 339
