Discourse Markers in Second Language French

179 Pages·2023·12.318 MB·

by  Alisha Reaves

Discourse Markers in Second
Language French
This book provides an in- depth look at pragmatic development by second
language learners of French through their production of French discourse
markers. It showcases a holistic production- focused approach designed
to provide a broad picture of learner discourse marker use in French.
The book begins with an comprehensive description of the major the-
oretical frameworks in discourse marker research. It provides a detailed
analysis of prior second language research on discourse markers in sev-
eral languages and the dominant avenues of inquiry. Additionally, this
book engages in a discussion of methodology that can serve as a guide for
future researchers on the topic. The data presented in this book provide a
broad picture of both native speaker and learner production of discourse
markers with implications for theoretical and formal understandings of
pragmatic meaning.
This book will be of particular interest to scholars in pragmatics for
both second language acquisition and formal or theoretical perspectives.
Alisha Reaves is an Assistant Professor of French and Linguistics at
Towson University. Her research focuses on the second language acquisi-
tion of French. Additional research areas include language and education
policy and lexical variation and meaning in French.
Routledge Research on New Waves in Pragmatics
Fresh Perspectives on Major Issues in Pragmatics
Edited by Monika Kirner-Ludwig
Discourse Markers in Second Language French
Alisha Reaves
For more information about this series, please visit: https://www.
routledge.com/Routledge-Research-on-New-Waves-in-Pragmatics/
book-series/RRNWP
Discourse Markers in Second
Language French
Alisha Reaves
First published 2023
by Routledge
605 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10158
and by Routledge
4 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon, OX14 4RN
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
© 2023 Alisha Reaves
The right of Alisha Reaves to be identified as author of this work has been asserted in
accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised
in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or
hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information
storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.
Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks,
and are used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe.
ISBN: 978- 1- 032- 34766- 0 (hbk)
ISBN: 978- 1- 032- 34767- 7 (pbk)
ISBN: 978- 1- 003- 32375- 4 (ebk)
DOI: 10.4324/ 9781003323754
Typeset in Sabon
by Newgen Publishing UK
Contents
List of Tables viii
List of Figures ix
Acknowledgments x
1 Introduction 1
1.1 Discourse Markers in French Society 1
1.2 Discourse Markers and the L2 Classroom 2
1.3 Learner Challenges in Acquiring Discourse Markers 3
1.4 Motivations for Studying L2 Discourse Marker
Development 4
1.5 Organization of the Book 6
2 What Are Discourse Markers? 10
2.1 Terminological Debates 10
2.2 Key Characteristics of Discourse Markers 11
2.3 What (for Practical Purposes) Counts as a Discourse
Marker? 21
2.4 Discourse Markers and Position 23
2.5 Discourse Marker Combinations 25
2.6 Defining Discourse Markers for This Study 26
3 Functions of Common French Discourse Markers 30
3.1 Introduction 30
3.2 Alors 30
3.3 Ben 31
3.4 Bon 32
3.5 Donc 32
3.6 En effet 35
3.7 En fait 35
3.8 Enfin 36
3.9 Hein 37
3.10 Mais 38
vi Contents
3.11 Oui 39
3.12 Parce que 39
3.13 Puis 39
3.14 Quoi 40
3.15 Tu sais 40
3.16 Voilà 41
4 What Do We Already Know about L2 Discourse
Marker Use? 45
4.1 Five Conclusions Drawn from L2 Discourse Marker
Research to Date 45
4.2 Can L1 Transfer Explain Learner Discourse Marker
Production? 49
4.3 What Sociolinguistic Variables Affect Discourse Marker
Use in the L2? 51
4.4 What Is the Effect of Study Abroad? 51
4.5 (How) Do Learners Process Discourse Markers That
They Hear? 52
4.6 Can Discourse Markers Be Taught? 53
4.7 Refocusing on L2 French Discourse Markers 54
4.8 Conclusion 55
5 Methodological Questions in L2 Discourse Marker
Research 62
5.1 Introduction 62
5.2 Contrastive or Interlanguage Analysis? 62
5.3 Form to Function or Function to Form? 64
5.4 The Effects of Tasks and Instruments 66
5.5 The Current Study 67
5.6 Conclusion 78
6 How Do Native Speakers Use Discourse Markers? 83
6.1 Introduction 83
6.2 What Is the Inventory of Discourse Markers Used
by the Native Speakers of French in This Study? 83
6.3 What Is the Functional Distribution of Discourse
Markers for Native Speakers in This Corpus? 86
6.4 Syntactic Considerations 96
6.5 Sociolinguistic Considerations 99
6.6 Conclusion 100
7 How Do Learners of French Use Discourse Markers? 101
7.1 Introduction 101
7.2 What Is the Inventory of Discourse Markers Used by
Learners of French? 101
Contents vii
7.3 What Is the Distribution of DM to Function and
How Does the Inventory of DMs and Their Functions
Change Over Time? 111
7.4 Syntactic Considerations 125
7.5 Sociolinguistic Considerations 127
7.6 Conclusion 128
8 New Insights and Next Steps in L2 Discourse Marker
Research 130
8.1 Introduction 130
8.2 Primary Findings of This Study 130
8.3 Other Contributing Factors to L2 Discourse Marker
Acquisition 139
8.4 What Can L2 Acquisition Tell Us about the Nature of
Discourse Markers? 141
8.5 Methodological and Pedagogical Implications 144
9 Conclusion 150
9.1 Concluding Remarks 150
9.2 Future Directions 152
Appendices 154
Appendix A – Participant Profiles 155
Appendix B – Native Speaker Discourse Marker
Inventory 159
Appendix C – Learner Discourse Marker Inventory 161
Index 163
Tables
5.1 Final proficiency groups based on 2- way k- means
cluster analysis 71
6.1 Discourse marker production by task 85
6.2 Most frequently occurring discourse markers 85
6.3 Inventory of functions expressed 86
6.4 Distribution of discourse markers by function 97
6.5 Discourse marker production by gender 99
6.6 Discourse marker production by region 100
7.1 Discourse marker production by proficiency group 102
7.2 Most frequently produced discourse markers by
proficiency 104
7.3 Discourse markers per 100 words by proficiency group 105
7.4 Discourse markers derived from verbs by proficiency
group 109
7.5 English discourse markers produced by proficiency group 110
7.6 Inventory of functions expressed by proficiency 112
7.7 Count and rate of discourse markers by position 127
8.1 Comparison of most frequently expressed functions 136
Figures
6.1 Unique discourse markers produced 84
7.1 Number of unique discourse markers produced by
proficiency group 103
7.2 Total number of discourse markers produced in a
cluster by proficiency 127
8.1 DM production by time spent abroad 141