Cambridge Grammar of English Hardback with cd-rom a comprehensive Guide

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also 123–139 Grammar across turns and sentences for more detailed

treatment of such items with particular reference to written text

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539 Glossary for any unfamiliar terms

From discourse to social contexts | 217

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Topics: marking boundaries and linking segments

108c

One of the main functions of discourse markers in spoken language is to mark

topic boundaries, indicating the beginning or end of a topic or a transition from

one topic or bit of business to another:

[answerphone message]

Hiya. It’s Nora. Erm I think you probably rang me earlier this evening. Erm if

you haven’t gone to bed, you can ring me back. 

Okay

bye bye

. 

(marking the boundary between the message and the goodbye)

A: And how’s Ricky, your boyfriend? 

B: He’s fine. Yeah. 

A: That’s good. So

what are you doing at the weekend? Anything?

B: Er Ricky’s, he’s working. 

(marking the boundary between asking about the boyfriend and introducing

the new topic: the weekend)

Another main purpose of discourse markers is to signal coherent links between

one part of a topic and the next part. Discourse markers help speakers to

negotiate their way through talk, checking whether they share a common view of

the topic and of the nature of the unfolding discourse with their listener:

The = sign indicates an utterance which is cut short

The + sign indicates an interrupted turn which continues at the next + sign

[speaker A resumes a phone call after an interruption by another caller]

A: Hi. Sorry about that mad woman on the line. [laughs] Erm what’s erm= Oh

yeah er do you have a contact number for Amanda Short+ 

B: Yeah. 

A: +erm cos I’m trying to firm up delivery dates and I think everyone’s on

schedule for a first of April delivery, which is brilliant. 

B: Yeah. 

A: And erm she’s the only one that I haven’t heard from so+ 

B: Right. 

(oh yeah marks a link between the interrupted topic and its resumption; cos

marks the reason/justification/explanation for asking the question, rather than

acting as a causal subordinator; and marks the continuation of the explanation;

right

marks the listener’s satisfactory reception of the message)

A–Z

17 Anyway; 58 Okay/OK; 69 Right, rightly; 71 So