Discourse markers(DMs) are characterized by multifunctionality in different contexts.This study addressed the use of the Chinese DM,na(那),as a solution to topical divergence,during clinical interactions with right-he...Discourse markers(DMs) are characterized by multifunctionality in different contexts.This study addressed the use of the Chinese DM,na(那),as a solution to topical divergence,during clinical interactions with right-hemisphere-damaged(RHD) patients.Drawing on data collected from clinical interviews between psychotherapists and RHD patients,this study examined the functions of na in response to RHD topical divergence,focusing on the topic and attitudinal aspects.It was found that na was mainly employed by psychotherapists to mark a reproffer of interview topics(i.e.,an attempt to return to earlier topics),and a display of disalignment and disaffiliation with RHD topical divergence.These functions of na reflect the psychotherapists’ attempts to overcome communicative problems arising from RHD topical divergence,so as to ensure the achievement of the communicative goal.Thus,na can be interpreted as a compensatory strategy for dealing with RHD topical divergence on an interpersonal level.These findings not only expand our knowledge about the function spectrum of na,but also offer insights for RHD patients’ interlocutors to enhance conversational communication with RHD patients via the compensatory strategy.展开更多
Based on the investigation of domestic studies on Discourse Markers （DMs）, this paper summarizes the major researches in this research field, analyzes the present research condition and predicts some future research...Based on the investigation of domestic studies on Discourse Markers （DMs）, this paper summarizes the major researches in this research field, analyzes the present research condition and predicts some future research topics.展开更多
The present study compares the discourse markers(DMs) of “saying” in Mandarin Chinese ke yi shuo(lit.“can say”) and ying gai shuo(lit.“should say”) with their equivalents in English,by drawing the parallel corpo...The present study compares the discourse markers(DMs) of “saying” in Mandarin Chinese ke yi shuo(lit.“can say”) and ying gai shuo(lit.“should say”) with their equivalents in English,by drawing the parallel corpora from The Selected Works of Deng Xiaoping(Volume III)(henceforth The Works),so as to uncover the pragmatic motivation for the variation in translating the DMs of“saying.” The analysis is conducted within a theoretical framework of speech act theory,by grouping the DMs according to their personal pronouns.Moreover,by comparing the uses of personal pronouns in English and Chinese,the current study confirms that The Works keeps the consistency between the two languages as well as with the characteristics and styles of Deng Xiaoping’s locution.It also finds that modalized DMs of “saying”(e.g.,“I should say”),as a parenthesis,lose their status as matrix clauses and help reduce the tone of affirmation.展开更多
In this paper, we focus our grammar studies on two early Cantonese literature contexts： Huajian Ji （花菚記, 1714） and Yue Ou （粤謳, 1820）. Two aspect markers, the experience aspect marker ＂gwo 過＂ and the durat...In this paper, we focus our grammar studies on two early Cantonese literature contexts： Huajian Ji （花菚記, 1714） and Yue Ou （粤謳, 1820）. Two aspect markers, the experience aspect marker ＂gwo 過＂ and the duration aspect marker ＂dzy 住＂, in these two Cantonese books show different characteristics from oral Cantonese today. ＂Gwo＂, mostly used as an aspect marker of＂experience＂ and ＂repeat＂ in verbal expression, had the usage of＂unhappened experience＂ in the old books as a connection between this two aspects. Every step of ＂dzy＂＇s grammarlization process was clearly recorded in the written materials. By comparing with the aspect markers in Mandarin Chinese, the usage of the completion aspect marker ＂liu 了＂ found in these two books was also discussed. We argue the importance of literature context in diachronical grammar studies of dialect.展开更多
Metadiscourse markers which are some linguistic devices deal with the explicitness of text-organization, writer-reader interaction, and subsequently to the clarity and coherence of a text, can guide readers＇ attentio...Metadiscourse markers which are some linguistic devices deal with the explicitness of text-organization, writer-reader interaction, and subsequently to the clarity and coherence of a text, can guide readers＇ attention. The aim of this paper is to discuss how the use of metadiscourse markers in a text can help learners allocate their limited attention on the important information during the process of reading.展开更多
Based on the Asian Corpus of English （ACE） and the British National English （BNC）, I investigated the features of discourse marker （DM） so in English as lingua franca （ELF） by comparing it with its use in nati...Based on the Asian Corpus of English （ACE） and the British National English （BNC）, I investigated the features of discourse marker （DM） so in English as lingua franca （ELF） by comparing it with its use in native speech. I first calculated the frequency of so in ACE and BNC. Then, taking Buysse＇s （2012） meta-functional theory of DM so as framework, I comprehensively analyzed the functions of so in ELF and native speech. The results show that Asian ELF speakers utter more tokens of so than native speakers, especially in the scopes of ＂marking results,＂ ＂marking conclusion,＂ ＂holding the floor,＂ ＂marking summary,＂ ＂opening new section of discourse,＂ and ＂shift-back and elaboration.＂ The study implies that in English teaching and learning, ELF should not be treated as an undeveloped language and that the teaching of discourse markers should focus more on the pragmatic functions than on semantic meaning in the narrow sense.展开更多
This study described the functions of you know and I mean in contexts of academic seminar discussions by ELF speakers. The data used in the study consisted of the multicultural discussions in the corpus of English as ...This study described the functions of you know and I mean in contexts of academic seminar discussions by ELF speakers. The data used in the study consisted of the multicultural discussions in the corpus of English as a lingua franca in academic settings （ELFA）. The approach of conversation analysis （CA） was used together with corpus techniques with the aim to provide quantitative support to function categorizations which were drawn from qualitative analysis. Results of the study not only demonstrated the multi-functionality of you know and I mean but also suggested that these two discourse markers played specific functions in academic seminar discussions under ELF contexts. In the context of cross-cultural and academic communication where problematic terms may occur, we found that you know was mainly used to achieve clarity, while I mean was primarily used to correct previous statements and dysfluencies. The findings of this study will help ELF speakers communicate more effectively in academic interactions by recognizing the functions of discourse markers and using them properly.展开更多
基金This study is supported by the following projects:the Chinese Ministry of Education(MOE)Humanities and Social Science Research Funding(18YJC740042)the Research Project of Guangdong Planning Office of Philosophy and Social Science(GD16CWW05)+1 种基金the MOE Key Research Project of Humanities and Social Science(16JJD740006)conducted by the Center for Linguistics and Applied Linguistics(CLAL),Guangdong University of Foreign Studies(GDUFS)supported by both the Department of Education of Guangdong Province and the Center for Linguistics and Applied Linguistics at Guangdong University of Foreign Studies,P.R.China for the frontier research and its theoretical innovations in interpersonal pragmatics(“人际语用学前沿研究与理论创新”项目)(2018WZDXM006).
文摘Discourse markers(DMs) are characterized by multifunctionality in different contexts.This study addressed the use of the Chinese DM,na(那),as a solution to topical divergence,during clinical interactions with right-hemisphere-damaged(RHD) patients.Drawing on data collected from clinical interviews between psychotherapists and RHD patients,this study examined the functions of na in response to RHD topical divergence,focusing on the topic and attitudinal aspects.It was found that na was mainly employed by psychotherapists to mark a reproffer of interview topics(i.e.,an attempt to return to earlier topics),and a display of disalignment and disaffiliation with RHD topical divergence.These functions of na reflect the psychotherapists’ attempts to overcome communicative problems arising from RHD topical divergence,so as to ensure the achievement of the communicative goal.Thus,na can be interpreted as a compensatory strategy for dealing with RHD topical divergence on an interpersonal level.These findings not only expand our knowledge about the function spectrum of na,but also offer insights for RHD patients’ interlocutors to enhance conversational communication with RHD patients via the compensatory strategy.
文摘Based on the investigation of domestic studies on Discourse Markers （DMs）, this paper summarizes the major researches in this research field, analyzes the present research condition and predicts some future research topics.
文摘The present study compares the discourse markers(DMs) of “saying” in Mandarin Chinese ke yi shuo(lit.“can say”) and ying gai shuo(lit.“should say”) with their equivalents in English,by drawing the parallel corpora from The Selected Works of Deng Xiaoping(Volume III)(henceforth The Works),so as to uncover the pragmatic motivation for the variation in translating the DMs of“saying.” The analysis is conducted within a theoretical framework of speech act theory,by grouping the DMs according to their personal pronouns.Moreover,by comparing the uses of personal pronouns in English and Chinese,the current study confirms that The Works keeps the consistency between the two languages as well as with the characteristics and styles of Deng Xiaoping’s locution.It also finds that modalized DMs of “saying”(e.g.,“I should say”),as a parenthesis,lose their status as matrix clauses and help reduce the tone of affirmation.
基金This research is financially supported by the Youth Program of National Social Science Foundation of China （Grant No 10CYY008）.
文摘In this paper, we focus our grammar studies on two early Cantonese literature contexts： Huajian Ji （花菚記, 1714） and Yue Ou （粤謳, 1820）. Two aspect markers, the experience aspect marker ＂gwo 過＂ and the duration aspect marker ＂dzy 住＂, in these two Cantonese books show different characteristics from oral Cantonese today. ＂Gwo＂, mostly used as an aspect marker of＂experience＂ and ＂repeat＂ in verbal expression, had the usage of＂unhappened experience＂ in the old books as a connection between this two aspects. Every step of ＂dzy＂＇s grammarlization process was clearly recorded in the written materials. By comparing with the aspect markers in Mandarin Chinese, the usage of the completion aspect marker ＂liu 了＂ found in these two books was also discussed. We argue the importance of literature context in diachronical grammar studies of dialect.
文摘Metadiscourse markers which are some linguistic devices deal with the explicitness of text-organization, writer-reader interaction, and subsequently to the clarity and coherence of a text, can guide readers＇ attention. The aim of this paper is to discuss how the use of metadiscourse markers in a text can help learners allocate their limited attention on the important information during the process of reading.
文摘Based on the Asian Corpus of English （ACE） and the British National English （BNC）, I investigated the features of discourse marker （DM） so in English as lingua franca （ELF） by comparing it with its use in native speech. I first calculated the frequency of so in ACE and BNC. Then, taking Buysse＇s （2012） meta-functional theory of DM so as framework, I comprehensively analyzed the functions of so in ELF and native speech. The results show that Asian ELF speakers utter more tokens of so than native speakers, especially in the scopes of ＂marking results,＂ ＂marking conclusion,＂ ＂holding the floor,＂ ＂marking summary,＂ ＂opening new section of discourse,＂ and ＂shift-back and elaboration.＂ The study implies that in English teaching and learning, ELF should not be treated as an undeveloped language and that the teaching of discourse markers should focus more on the pragmatic functions than on semantic meaning in the narrow sense.
基金supported by National Social Science Fund of China[Grant No.15BYY179]
文摘This study described the functions of you know and I mean in contexts of academic seminar discussions by ELF speakers. The data used in the study consisted of the multicultural discussions in the corpus of English as a lingua franca in academic settings （ELFA）. The approach of conversation analysis （CA） was used together with corpus techniques with the aim to provide quantitative support to function categorizations which were drawn from qualitative analysis. Results of the study not only demonstrated the multi-functionality of you know and I mean but also suggested that these two discourse markers played specific functions in academic seminar discussions under ELF contexts. In the context of cross-cultural and academic communication where problematic terms may occur, we found that you know was mainly used to achieve clarity, while I mean was primarily used to correct previous statements and dysfluencies. The findings of this study will help ELF speakers communicate more effectively in academic interactions by recognizing the functions of discourse markers and using them properly.
