Discourse markers

Discourse markers are linguistic devices that play a crucial role in organizing and structuring
conversations or written texts. They serve as signals to the listener or reader, indicating how
different parts of the discourse are connected or related to each other. Discourse markers help
convey the speaker's or writer's intentions, attitudes, or strategies in communication.

Discourse markers are used to organise and manage what we are saying using words and
phrases to connect ideas and to express how we feel about what we are saying. They are also
used to help you think about what to say next using fillers correctly to sound natural in your
delivery.

Discourse markers are used to express functions of speech and therefore help to organise
what is said, while signaling the attitude of the speaker. They can also be used as a ‘stalling’
device, allowing you some time to think of what to say, for example, 'Let me think about that
for a minute...'. It is much better to use a phrase like this, rather than pausing for seconds, or
using intrusive fillers like 'umm... | err...'

The use of discourse markers when communicating helps to make you sound more fluent,
helps to engage the listener and helps to successfully communicate how you feel about the
conversation. Successful communication will help to improve your English proficiency level

Here are some key aspects of discourse markers:

 Discourse markers contribute to the coherence and cohesion of a discourse. They help
create a logical flow and connection between sentences and paragraphs, guiding the
listener or reader through the discourse.

 It also serve various pragmatic functions like indicating relationships between ideas,
such as addition, contrast, cause and effect, or temporal sequencing. They can also
mark transitions, highlight important information, manage turn-taking in
conversations, express attitude or stance, or provide clarification.

 Discourse markers can appear at different positions within a sentence or a discourse.

They can occur at the beginning of a sentence, in the middle, or at the end. Their
placement often affects the specific meaning or function they convey.

 The usage of discourse markers can vary across languages, dialects, and even
individual speakers. Additionally, the interpretation of a discourse marker's meaning
can depend on the specific context in which it is used. Contextual factors, such as
cultural norms, conversational style, and the relationship between the participants, can
influence the function and interpretation of discourse markers.
  Discourse markers can take the form of single words, phrases, or longer expressions.
Some markers are specific to certain languages, while others may have equivalents or
similar functions across different languages.

 It's important to note that the interpretation and use of discourse markers are context-
dependent and can vary based on the specific conversation or text being analyzed. The
study of discourse markers and their analysis provides valuable insights into how
meaning is constructed and conveyed within conversations and written texts.

Examples:
Look at the discourse markers highlighted in the following sentences:

1. The food I ate last night probably gave me food poisoning, so, unfortunately, I’ve
been up all night.

2. The first thing I am going to do is show you the broken screen, then I’m going to
show you how I fixed it and finally, I’m going to teach you how to fix it.

The first sentence expresses uncertainty and sadness using hedging language in the form of
adverbs. ‘Probably’ is used as it is not known what made them sick and ‘unfortunately’ is
used to show their attitude and feelings about what happened.

The second sentence uses discourse markers to sequence the steps that are going to be
presented.

Here are some common examples of discourse markers:

 Addition: Additionally, Moreover, Furthermore, In addition

 Contrast: However, On the other hand, Nevertheless, Nonetheless

 Cause and effect: Consequently, Therefore, Thus, As a result

 Concession: Although, Despite, In spite of, Even though

 Clarification: In other words, That is to say, Specifically, To clarify

 Sequencing: First of all, Secondly, Next, Finally

 Example: For instance, For example, Such as, In particular

 Disfluency markers: Uh, um, well, you know, like, sort of, kind of.

 Interruption markers: Anyway, anyhow, by the way, actually, anyway.

 Attitude markers: Honestly, frankly, personally, in my opinion, I believe, to be honest.

 Engagement markers: Right, OK, well, so, now, let's see, listen.