Understanding Discourse Markers in Opinion-Marking Signaling

Opinion-marking signals are linguistic features used to indicate the speaker's attitude towards a proposition or their stance on an issue. These signals play a crucial role in conveying the speaker's perspective and can significantly influence how the message is interpreted by the listener. In this article, we will discuss these signals through the lens of discourse markers, which are words or phrases that help structure conversations, guide the flow of information, and signal specific discourse functions.

Discourse markers come in various forms and serve different purposes within conversation structures. Some common types include filler expressions like 'ah', rhetorical questions such as 'you know,' and evaluators like 'honestly' or 'frankly'. These markers often occur frequently in spoken language and are essential for maintaining the flow of communication. They also serve a vital function in opinion-marking signaling.

For instance, fillers and filler-like expressions, such as 'uhm,' 'umh,' and 'ehm,' have been found to be more frequent in spontaneous speech than scripted speech. While some researchers argue that these fillers might be noncommunicative or merely represent pause breaks during speech planning, others propose they may act as discourse markers. Using context, it is possible to identify if a filler is functioning as a discourse marker, indicating hesitation, or serving another purpose.

Rhetorical questions can also act as discourse markers when used to introduce opinions. For example, 'You know...what do you think of X?' would indicate the speaker's desire for the interlocutor's input and belief in the truthfulness of their own opinion. Other question-like words, such as 'what's more,' 'also,' 'too' and 'as well' can be employed as discourse markers to introduce additional points related to an opinion.

Evaluators are another type of discourse marker. Examples like 'frankly,' 'to tell you the truth,' 'I mean,' and 'honestly' all convey varying degrees of sincerity, seriousness, or certainty from the speaker. Research has shown that the presence of evaluators can lead listeners to evaluate a speaker more positively. Additionally, evaluators have been observed to be more prevalent among speakers with higher levels of verbal fluency.

In conclusion, Discourse markers, including fillers, rhetorical questions, and evaluators, play a critical role in opinion-marking signaling. By understanding the various types of discourse markers and their functions, we gain insight into the complex nature of conversational exchanges and the ways in which speakers express their perspectives and attitudes.

Explore the role of discourse markers like fillers, rhetorical questions, and evaluators in indicating the speaker's attitude and stance on issues. Learn how these linguistic features structure conversations, guide information flow, and influence listener interpretation.