Right in Singapore English

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Singapore English has been, and still is, an enigma for many scholars and researchers. In recent years, much attention has been given to the analysis of its particles. However, rather than focusing on the analysis of one particle or several particles and how they operate at the level of the sentence, this paper looks at a particular phenomenon in Singapore English at a discursive level. Specifically, it examines right and its use as a discourse marker in Singapore English interactions. In doing so, this paper demonstrates how it contributes to the alignment of two kinds of stances between speakers, namely, the epistemic stance and the interpersonal stance. This is done with supporting data from naturally occurring Singaporean conversations. Furthermore, this paper also briefly suggests that the familiar particles in Singapore English can be analysed not only as particles, but also as discourse markers at an interactional level.