• English Language & Literature Teaching
• /
• v.11 no.2
• /
• pp.1-18
• /
• 2005

This study is a preliminary investigation of the nature of discourse marker acquisition in Korean American speakers of English. Discourse markers are of interest because they are not an aspect of language taught through formal instruction either to native or non-native speakers. Therefore, discourse marker use serves as indirect evidence of face-to-face interaction with native speakers and an indicator of integration. In this light, the present study examines the presence of discourse markers in Korean Americans. The markers chosen for analysis were you know, like, and I mean. The data consist of spontaneous speech elicited from interviews. Sociolinguistic variables such as age, sex, and generation (i.e., $1^{st}$, 1.5, $2^{nd}$) were examined. Results show that there appears to be interaction between the variables and discourse marker use. While all speakers showed variable acquisition of markers, younger, female, and 1.5 generation speakers were found to use discourse markers more than other speakers. Although discourse marker use is optional and thus not a linguistic feature that must be necessarily acquired, it is clear that use is pervasive and acquired differentially by English speakers irrespective of whether they are native or not.

• Korean Linguistics
• /
• v.65
• /
• pp.211-236
• /
• 2014

The aim of this study is to investigate categorical characteristics of 'mak' and their discourse functions through analyzed the prosodic features of 'mak'. The previous studies of 'mak' focused on grammatical or semantic characteristics, but this study focuses on the prosodic features of 'mak' based on speech data. As a result, adverb 'mak' and discourse marker 'mak' are distinguished from prosodic boundary, duration, pause and sort of number tonal patterns. Functions of discourse marker 'mak' is as follows: Maintenance of utterance, Attention, Delay, Expression negative manner. These functions have salient prosodic features related to their functions. Consequently prosodic features are important to analyze categorical characteristics and to establish functions of 'mak'.

• Cross-Cultural Studies
• /
• v.29
• /
• pp.453-477
• /
• 2012

This study investigates how the truth-related words in Korean, which were originally noun or adverb with 'truth' related meaning, can be used as discourse markers with the functions such as 'emphatic marker', 'attention getter', or 'hesitation marker', and it argues that such functions of the discourse markers are the result of grammaticalization process. That is to say that the truth-related words have acquired new functions as discourse markers from their corresponding lexical items as a noun or an adverb through grammaticalization process. In this study, we demonstrate that the truth-related words tend to appear sentence-initially or sentence-medially when they are used as discourse markers. We also show that they are most likely to be used as emphatic marker because of the lexical meaning of the truth-related words. Finally, we state that truth-related words differ from one another in where they appear and what function they are used with.

• Speech Sciences
• /
• v.6
• /
• pp.55-82
• /
• 1999

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the acoustic characteristics of the Korean accusative marker {-lil} which functions as a discourse marker in discourse. Generally, in written texts or read speeches, it is seldom omitted and it certainly seems to serve a grammatical function. But in ordinary discourse, speakers do not use it in many cases. That is, the environments speakers use {-lil} differ from those they do not. According to the semantic interpretations, {-lil} functions as a pragmatic factor and adds to the meaning of the object in an utterance. In this paper, by comparing the acoustic characteristics of the utterances that contain the marker {-lil} with those of utterances that do not, especially based on Korean Intonational Phonology, we will demonstrate that the Korean accusative marker {-lil} shows clearly the acoustic characteristics related to the pragmatic factors which reflect speakers' special intention.

• Asia Pacific Journal of Corpus Research
• /
• v.1 no.2
• /
• pp.27-39
• /
• 2020

This paper examines the frequency and distribution of the so-called "non-discourse marker functions" of so in essay writings produced by 200 L1 English speakers and 1,300 EFL learners in China, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan. Based on the data drawn from the International Corpus Network of Asian Learners of English, this study compares EFL learners and L1 English speakers' uses of so, identifying four grammatical uses, as (1) an adverb, (2) part of a fixed phrase, (3) a pro-form, and (4) a conjunction phrase specifying purpose. This study aims to show the wide variability among EFL learners with different L1s, identifying the tendency of usage both common among and specific to the sub-groups of EFL learners. The findings suggest that the learners demonstrate patterns distinctively different from those of L1 English speakers, indicating an underuse of so as a marker expressing "purpose" and an overuse as part of fixed phrases. Compared to L1 English speakers, the learners also tend to overuse so in the discourse marker functions, regardless of their L1s. The study proposes pedagogical implications focusing on discourse flow and diachronic aspects of so in order to understand its multifunctionality, although the latter is primarily suggested for advanced learners.

• Journal of Korean language education
• /
• v.23 no.1
• /
• pp.219-256
• /
• 2012

The aim of this study is to observe the trend of discourse study in language education and analyze the main issues by investigating the literatures related to discourse in Korean language education in the last ten years. This study observed the discourse study conducted in Korean language education from the perspectives of study subject, study method and study data. Moreover, based on the results, it estimated the achievements and effectiveness of the discourse study conducted in Korean language education. The subject of discourse study was mainly dealt with discourse function, discourse pattern, discourse marker, discourse structure. In the study methods, analysis of corpus and survey were mainly used as the study methods, and spoken corpus, written corpus and semi-spoken corpus were used as study materials. In particular, the semi-spoken corpus was used at a very high rate among them. This showed that discourse study in Korean language education was mainly focused on spoken corpus study. This study divided the detailed field of Korean language education into four fields of linguistic knowledge, communication function, teaching activities and learning activities, and observed the trends of discourse study in each field. Overall, it was recognized that relatively many studies were focused on linguistic knowledge, particularly in pragmatic perspective. It can be said that the study based on discourse has a language educational effectiveness in that it is based on actual data and improves practical communication skills in the environment of various languages.

• Journal of Korean language education
• /
• v.28 no.4
• /
• pp.181-219
• /
• 2017

The purpose of this study is to review the functions of {됐어} and {X了} as a discourse marker on different levels, and to examine their similarities and differences. {됐어} has not been widely recognized as a discourse marker in the field of Korean linguistics and Korean language education. Therefore, in order to establish the identity of {됐어} as a discourse marker, the reasons that {됐어} can be regarded as discourse marker were explained prior to the contrastive analysis. As to the method of contrastive analysis for {됐어} and {X了}, they were analyzed on three main dimensions: that is, the textual dimension, the interpersonal dimension, and the metalinguistic dimension in the corpus consisting of scripts of Korean and Chinese sitcoms. The results are as follows. In the textual domain, {됐어} and {X了} have the function of closing the topic in common, while {X了} can indicate a new topic and transmit a topic. In terms of functions in the interpersonal domain, {됐어} and {X了} are commonly used to refuse a partner's proposal or request and to interrupt a partner's speech or action. Furthermore, in the interactional aspect, {됐어} and {X了} performs the function of expressing a response to a preceding utterance and taking the turn of speaking. The difference between them in the interpersonal domain is that {X了} performs the function of correcting a speaker's utterance. In the metalinguistic domain, {됐어} and {X了} are common in that they perform the function of expressing the dissatisfaction of the speaker, showing generosity and making a compromise with the addressee. {X了}'s distinguishing characteristics in this domain is that it can express the attitude of consoling the hearer.

• Korean Journal of Cognitive Science
• /
• v.2 no.1
• /
• pp.143-165
• /
• 1990

I will discuss some aspects of the meaning of prodiscoure maker 'kulay'in Korea.This marker has been studied few scholars,since Korean lingusts did not have any interest about this category of linguistic form.Also,they did not realized the importance of discourse and discourse markers.So,we have only shallow information about prodiscourse phenomena and prodiscourse markers,too. Morphologically,kulay(그래)'could be analyzed into 'ku(그)'and 'lay(래)'and 'lay(래)'could be divided into'l(ㄹ)'and 'ay(ㅐ)' again.But I will discuss 'kulay'as one linguistic unit without divison. It will be claimed in this paper that both [prodiscoures]feature and [discourse continuity]feature can satisfactorily account for the core meaning of'kulay'.And,it will be mentioned that the marker has many kinds of specfic meaning depends on paricular discourse.Also, I would like to examine the semantic feature([prodiscourse+discourse continuity]) in many kinds of korean discourse.And I will show that some factors re;ated tp the marker's specific meaning are the meaning of preceding and following discourse and the participant's psychological attitude.The conclusion must be that the meaning of 'kulay'can help us understand certain phenomena about prodiscourse and prodiscourse markers in the korean language.Also the various meanings of 'kulay'can give more information to Applied-Korean linguistics.

• Cross-Cultural Studies
• /
• v.45
• /
• pp.381-431
• /
• 2016

This paper deals with Slavic discourse deixis comparing Russian, Polish, Czech and Bulgarian demonstrative and personal pronouns. In general, the Slavic proximal pronouns have precedence over the distal ones. Proximal pronouns, such as Russian eto, Polish to, and Bulgarian tova, are employed more frequently and widely than their distal counterparts to, tamto and onova. The distance-neutral pronoun to in Modern Czech was also a proximal pronoun in the past. These Slavic proximal and former-proximal pronouns function as a discourse deixis marker, whereas, in most other languages, the discourse deixis is mainly a function of distal or non-proximal demonstrative pronouns. However, the Russian, Polish, Czech, and Bulgarian discourse deixis differs in distal demonstrative and personal pronouns. In general, the Polish and Czech discourse deixis does not employ the distal demonstrative pronoun tamto or the personal pronoun ono. The Russian distal demonstrative pronoun to is actively used as a discourse deixis marker, and the personal pronoun ono can also be used to refer to the preceding discourse, though it is not frequent. In Bulgarian the distal demonstrative pronoun onova is rarely used to refer to a discourse, but the personal pronoun to frequently indicates a discourse that is repeatedly referred to in a text. The discourse deixis, which is a peripheral deixis and can be both deixis and anaphora, reveals different characteristics in different Slavic languages. In Russian, where all of the proximal, distal, and personal pronouns function as a discourse deixis marker, the deixis itself plays a crucial role in distinguishing these three pronouns from each other, revealing the speaker's psychological, emotional, temporal, and cognitive proximity to or distance from a given discourse. In Bulgarian, the most analytic Slavic language, the personal pronoun is used more as a discourse deixis marker to reveal the highest givenness of a discourse, and it seems that Bulgarian discourse deixis is more anaphoric than the other Slavic discourse deixis is.

• English Language & Literature Teaching
• /
• v.13 no.4
• /
• pp.33-58
• /
• 2007

The present paper aims at comparing the two modes of CMC - synchronous and asynchronous - in terms of discourse markers used in turn-initial positions. It further attempts to examine the viability and limitations of these two modes of CMC in fostering EFL learners' face-to-face conversation skills. For these purposes, the present study analyzed 33 Korean EFL learners' Web chat and E-mail exchange data. Discourse markers in the participants' Web chat transcripts and those in their E-mail transcripts were identified and then compared in terms of their frequency and functions. The analysis revealed that the participants show difference in their preference for discourse markers depending on the modes of CMC. Also, the functions of discourse markers used for Web chat showed were strikingly different from those for e-mail. Especially, e-mail discourse markers revealed greater discrepancy from the markers in face-to-face conversation. The differences were found to be attributable to the time factor involved with the turn-taking systems of the two modes of CMC, especially the degree of instantaneousness in their turn-taking. Findings suggest that the turn taking skills and discourse marker use in CMC is not applicable to face-to-face conversation contexts. Pedagogical implications are discussed.