Abstract
The present study aims to investigate the use of discourse markers (DMs) in non-native (Croatian) EFL teachers´ talk with primary and secondary school students. The study concentrates on the occurrences and frequencies of DMs, but it also provides an account of the function distribution of the three most frequently used DMs (ok, so, and). The quantitative and qualitative analyses of the recorded transcriptions reveal that the teachers use a variety of DMs, almost exclusively the ones typical of classroom management and classroom discourse organization, with no significant differences in the patterns of DM use with the primary and secondary school students. The DMs fulfill a number of structural and interpersonal functions mainly aimed at providing coherent and stimulating classroom discourse. The findings of this study might contribute to raising awareness of the diversified functions of DMs, which could facilitate non-native EFL teachers´ overall lesson organization and structuring of particular teaching segments.
Highlights
Discourse markers (DMs hereafter) are multifunctional linguistic units with a principally non-propositional function and serve to connect segments of spokenGloria Vickov, Eva Jakupčević and written discourse (Fraser, 1999; Müller, 2005)
discourse markers (DMs) are used to achieve a variety of interactive functions essential to the relationship between discourse participants, such as politeness, repairs, attention-getting and feedback (Iglesias Moreno, 2001)
The study concentrated on both frequency and function distribution of English DMs in the teacher talk with the primary and secondary school students, in order to gain a full picture of the teachers’ use of DMs as cohesive devices in the discourse generated in classroom interaction
Summary
Discourse markers (DMs hereafter) are multifunctional linguistic units with a principally non-propositional function and serve to connect segments of spokenGloria Vickov, Eva Jakupčević and written discourse (Fraser, 1999; Müller, 2005). DMs are used to achieve a variety of interactive functions essential to the relationship between discourse participants, such as politeness, repairs, attention-getting and feedback (Iglesias Moreno, 2001). Theoretical accounts of DMs are marked by an extraordinary diversity of terminology, definitions and taxonomies Over the years, these units have been referred to as pragmatic particles (Ostman, 1981), discourse particles (Schourup, 1985), discourse connectives (Blakemore, 1992) and pragmatic markers (Fraser, 1996), to name just a few. Insufficient and incorrect use of DMs may reduce communication effectiveness and may cause failure in interpersonal and intercultural interaction (Martinez, 2004; Wierzbicka, 1991), leading the speaker to be perceived as impolite, and his social behavior or commitment to the conversation to be brought into question (Crystal, 1988; Iglesias Moreno, 2001; Lam, 2009)
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