A Cognitive Approach To The Acquisition Of Discourse Markers By Chinese Learners Of English

Discourse markers are words or expressions commonly used in language to mark utterance information. They are very important part of pragmatic competence of a speaker. Research on L2 learners' use and acquisition of DMs can help us learn the patterns so as to facilitate their acquisition efficiency and thus improve their pragmatic competence. The general research on the functions and meanings of DMs has taken two approaches: the coherence-based approach holding that DMs express conceptual meaning and help enhance discourse coherence, which is a static approach; the relevance-theoretic approach holding that DMs express procedural meaning and play an important role in utterance generation and interpretation, which is a dynamic approach. The research on DM use and acquisition falls into two directions: firstly, DM use and acquisition by native speakers, including exploring its influencing factors, such as individual differences in age, gender and social class and exterior factors like speech context; secondly, DM use and acquisition by L2 learners, mostly focusing on the differences and similarities as compared to native speakers and their contributing factors.Based on the relevance-theoretic approach, the present study investigates the patterns in the use and acquisition of DMs by Chinese EFL learners and puts forward corresponding solutions to increase the acquisition efficiency. The study collects data by recording and transcribing speeches from a group discussion task by 65 subjects and a picture description task by 62 of them, and calculates the types and frequencies of DMs used and the percentages of these types in the total occurrences. In addition, the study investigates the learners' knowledge about the use of some DMs, and their metapragmatic awareness of the pragmatic function of the DM well by executing two tests to 61 of the subjects: a cloze test and an utterance interpretation test. Through analysis and comparison of the data, including comparing with native speakers' use of DMs, some patterns and problems concerning these learners' use and acquisition of DMs are revealed. Then, the findings are further discussed with reference to some SLA theories on a cognitive approach. The discussions come up with the suggestion that formal instruction on DMs be introduced into EFL oral class and that a task-based approach to instruction be adopted. This approach lays emphasis on both communication and form to maximize the acquisition efficiency and effectiveness. Finally, the present study puts forward some blending models for the analysis of both the role of DMs in utterance interpretation and the evolution of thepragmatic meanings of DMs, based on the integrative study of the Relevance Theory and the Space Blending Theory. These models demonstrate the role of DMs in the dynamic process of utterance interpretation. The blending model of DMs is claimed to be significant for formal instruction on DMs.The present study has demonstrated the pattern from literal meaning to pragmatic meaning in the acquisition of DMs by Chinese learners of English and has partially tested the hypothesis that context differences influence L2 learners' use of DMs. Also, the present study originally puts forward the blending models for the analysis of DMs. Future studies can thereby gain new insights into the methods and directions in the research on DMs. The findings about the patterns of Chinese EFL learners' use and acquisition of DMs and the solutions suggested can provide both EFL educators and learners with an effective way to improve EFL learners' pragmatic competence.