Use of Discourse Markers in the Speech of Nigerian Students Learning Mandarin Chinese

Sunny Ifeanyi Odinye

Abstract


The use of discourse markers is common in everyday native speech. If an L2 speaker wants to
sound more like a native speaker, one way is to adopt the ‘conventiuonal-expressions’ (like
discourse markers) used by native speakers in the local community. Discourse markers’ use is
generally agreed to be a feature of oral discourse or impromptu speech, so the ability to use and
appropriately apply discourse markers is undoubtedly one aspect of sociolinguistic competence
that second/foreign language learners need to acquire. Discourse markers are difficult for
second/foreign language learners to acquire if learners are not exposed to natural language
environment. The pragmatic functions of these discourse markers are not actually taught in
formal language classrooms. This study investigates the use of discourse markers by six Nigerian
students (three males and three females) learning Mandarin Chinese at the Confucius institute in
Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria. The data for the study were collected through the
use of interview. The paper is structured as follows: abstract, introduction, discourse markers,
discourse markers in Mandarin Chinese, methodology and data collection, findings and
discussion, and conclusion.


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