A Multi-dimensional Research On Functions Of Discourse Markers

The study of discourse markers (DMs) dates back to the 1970s, ever since many scholars have paid much attention on the research of DMs. Nevertheless, there is a lack of uniformity of the DMs on the definition, classification, and functions, etc. Hence, the complementary study on the functions of DMs from different perspectives is supposed to be the study objective. The present thesis takes one TV interview with American president Obama selected from Larry King Live of CNN as the studying data and presents a multi-dimensional and complementary analysis on the functions of DMs in it under a systematic category and classification with the purpose of providing different perspectives feasible for the study of DMs. The two main questions needed to be answered through the present research are: 1) How do DMs exert their interpersonal functions and textual functions from the Systemic-Functional Linguistics perspective? 2) What are the specific pragmatic functions of DMs from the cognitive-pragmatic perspective?The present study is based on the theoretical background of Systemic-Functional Linguistics (SFL) and Relevance Theory (RT). Firstly, from the perspective of SFL, the functions of DMs are illustrated into two kinds: interpersonal function which is elaborated from the aspect of modality and appraisal system, and textual functions which is investigated from the thematic structure, information structure and cohesion system. Secondly, from the cognitive-pragmatic perspective, it's proved that based on the ostensive-inferential process and contextual effects, the pragmatic function of DMs within the framework of RT is to constrain the production and interpretation of the utterance. Specifically speaking, the functions of DMs are to promote the hearer to make a choice of optimal relevant context by constraining the relevance of the utterance. It's through the contextual effects specified by the DMs that the hearer can get the appropriate interpretation of the utterance and get the communication goal.The research proves that, firstly, for the perspective of SFL, the DMs in communication on the one hand convey the speaker's attitude and evaluation towards the proposition so as to facilitate the relationship of the interlocutors, on the other hand, it's proved that on the textual aspect, the DMs play an significant role of making the utterance textual organized and coherent.Secondly, based on RT, The author finds that in the ostensive-inferential process, DMs have the specific pragmatic functions like marking the emotion, introducing direct speech, revealing the speaker's attitude, and initiating the turn/utterance. They can also be employed to create a mutual cognitive context for the interlocutors and to achieve optimal relevance, and in this sense, the DMs can be used as the makers of reminder, supplement, delaying device, divergence, insufficiency, negative answer and inferential makers.The significance of the present study lies in the following three aspects: Firstly, it provides a multi-dimensional perspective for the comprehensive study of DMs. Secondly, it helps people to have a good command of the functions of DMs in the TV interview, and then promote the communication. Finally, it provides a practical implication for the awareness about the functions of DMs in EFL teaching and acquisition.