A discourse· marker·is a particle· (such as oh, like

, and you know·) that is used to direct· or redirect·

the flow· of conversation· without adding any
significant· paraphrasable meaning to the
discourse·.

Also known as DM , discourse· particle· ,

discourse· connective , pragmatic· marker· , or
pragmatic· particle· .

In most cases , discourse· markers are

syntactically independent·: that is , removing a
marker· from a sentence· still leaves the sentence·
structure· intact· . Discourse markers are more
common· in informal· speech· than in most forms of
writing .
 Examples and Observations
"I could so go· for like a huge cookie right· now , with like , a lamb kabob simultaneously."
(Juno MacGuff in Juno , 2007)
"You should've gone to China, you know·, 'cause I hear· they give· away babies like free·
iPods . You know·, they pretty much just put· them in those t-shirt guns and shoot· them out
at sporting events . " (Juno MacGuff in Juno , 2007)
"Flipping people· off is really more up my twin sister Sarah's alley anyway , although I have·
to admit· that my two· years· of city· dwelling have· made me a tad· more aggressive· . But
anyway , I'm a sucker· for cowboys , so I don't flip him off .
" Okay , they're not really cowboys since we have· farms here in Pinewood , not ranches ,
but they're close· enough in my book· . " (LuAnn McLane , Trick My Truck but Don't Mess
With My Heart . Signet, 2008)
Captain Renault: Mademoiselle, you are in Rick's! And Rick is . . .
Ilsa: Who is he?
Captain Renault: Well, Rick is the kind· of man· that . . . well, if I were a woman· , and I
were not around , I should be· in love· with Rick .
( Casablanca , 1942)
Victor Laszlo: Captain , please· . . .
Captain Renault: Oh, please· , monsieur . It is a little· game· we play· . They put· it on the
bill· , I tear· up the bill· .
( Casablanca )
"You're getting on that plane· with Victor where you belong . . . . Now, you've got to listen·
to me ! " (Humphrey Bogart as Rick in Casablanca )
Functions of Discourse Markers
"Although somewhat dated , [this list· of functions based on Laurel J . Brinton ( 1990 : 47 f)]
is still relevant to current studies ofdiscourse· markers. According to this list· ,discourse·
markersare used - to initiate· discourse· ,
- to mark· a boundary· in discourse· (shift/partial shift· in topic) ,
- to preface a response· or a reaction· ,
- to serve· as a filler or delaying tactic· ,
- to aid· the speaker· in holding the floor· ,
- to effect· an interaction or sharing between speaker· and hearer ,
- to bracket· the discourse· either cataphorically or anaphorically ,
- to mark· either foregrounded or backgrounded information . " (Simone Müller , Discourse
Markers in Native and Non-Native English Discourse . John Benjamins, 2005)
Points of Transition
"Speakers , particularly in conversational· exchanges , tend· to use·discourse· markers. . .
as a way· of indicating orientation· to what is happening in the discourse· . The discourse·
markers have· little· explicit meaning but have· very definite functions , particularly at
transitional points . . . . In the written language· , equivalents are expressions such as
however , on the other hand· , on the contrary·, which are used in the transition from one
sentence· to another . " (R . Macaulay , The Social Art: Language and Its Uses . Oxford
University Press, 2006)
Now and Then
" Then indicates temporal· succession· between prior and upcoming· talk· . Its main·
difference· from now is the direction· of the discourse· which it marks: now points forward in
discourse· time· and then points backward . Another difference· is that now focuses on how
the speaker's own discourse· follows the speaker's own prior talk; then , on the other hand·
, focuses on how the speaker's discourse· follows either party's prior talk· . " (D . Schiffrin ,
Discourse Markers . Cambridge University Press, 1988)
 What are the different discourse· markers that can be· used ?
There are many discourse· markers that express· different
relationships between ideas . The most common· types of
relationship· between ideas , and the sentence· connectors that
are most often used to express· these relationships , are given in
the table· below . The discourse· markers in the table· are
generally used at the start· of a phrase· or clause·. (a clause· is a
minimal grammatical structure· that has meaning in its own right· ,
and consists of a subject· and verb , and often an object· too) .
Sentence connectors do· not always begin· a completely new
sentence; they may be· separated from the previous idea· with a
semi-colon .

Note that there are two· particular· features of the sentence·

connectors indicated below:

Sentence connectors can be· used to begin· a new sentence· or a

new clause· that follows a semi-colon;
Some sentence· connectors can be· placed in different positions
within the sentence: initial position· (e . g . Because he is ill· , he
needs to rest· . ) and 'mid-way position' at the start· of another
clause· (e . g . He must rest· , because he is ill) .