Discourse Functions of like in the American Sitcom ‘Friends’

Abstract

This paper discusses the multifunctional uses of like with the examples found in the American sitcom, ‘Friends’. The uses of like as a discourse marker and a quotative complementizer occur with high frequency in the colloquial everyday English of adolescents and young adults. Although some normativist grammarians and school teachers have defined these colloquial uses of like as nonstandard, they have attracted the attention of many studies since the 1980s. Many researchers have subcategorized the meanings of like into an approximator, an exemplifier, a hedge, a filler, a focus marker, a quotative complementizer, etc. However, following Buchstaller (2001), this paper suggests that all of the functions of nonstandard like basically convey a semantic trait of comparison or approximation, and that like functions as a hedge, a filler, a focus marker, or a quotative marker on the pragmatic level. This paper demonstrates that its interpretation depends heavily on the discourse context. This study also suggests some implications for ESL/EFL teaching. Since the multifunctional uses of like are very frequently found in everyday English, teachers need to pay attention to the discourse particle like and guide the learners to understand and use it appropriately.