The use of discourse markers in E.F.L. learners' writing

Ana Cristina Lahuerta Martínez

doi:10.14198/raei.2002.15.08

Abstract

This study investigates the use of discourse markers by Spanish learners of English. It is intended as an initial contribution to the study of how discourse markers are used by foreign language learners. We conduct two pilot studies involving the use of English discourse markers by native speakers of Spanish. We first study if these speakers use English discourse markers at all in their writings and if they use some markers and not others. We then compare the use they make of discourse markers in Spanish and in English. This study shows that native speakers of Spanish use discourse markers extensively and in appropriate ways both in Spanish and in English. We also observe some differences between the writings in English and Spanish with respect to the number of markers employed as well as the variety of markers used. With these initial results, we intend to better define future research questions and directions.

Highlights

Wifhin the past fifteen years or so there has been an increasing interest in the theoretical status of discourse markers ( DMs), focusing on what they are, what they mean and what functions they manifest
This study has shown that native speakers of Spanish use DMs extensively and in appropriate ways both in Spanish and in English
The resulte point to a relationship between the studente' level of competence in writing in a foreign language and their use of markers

Summary

Introduction

Wifhin the past fifteen years or so there has been an increasing interest in the theoretical status of discourse markers ( DMs), focusing on what they are, what they mean and what functions they manifest. Until recently communication was seen as a process of codification and decodification of utterances. Since Grice (1975), communication is perceived in a different way. It does not constitute exclusively a codification process and, and mainly, an inference labour. When I say / am cold, I want my interlocutor to understand my utterance, but I want him to understand that I want to cióse the window. From this approach, we can say that one of the functions of DMs consists of facilitating inferences that wantto be communicated.

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Results

Conclusion