Discourse Markers as Interaction-Management Devices in English Fictional Dialogue

Abstract

This paper reviews discourse markers as interaction-management devices in English fictional dialogue, in relation to discourse markers used in this context. Using pragmatic and discourse-analytic frameworks, this study considers the ways in which markers help to organize turns, manage speaker–listener encounters, and enforce coherence in fictional conversation in terms of both Deborah Schiffrin’s and Bruce Fraser’s paradigms. As evidenced by the analysis, discourse markers are pivotal in portraying natural spoken interaction in literary texts.