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A discourse marker is a word or a phrase that plays a role in managing the flow and structure of discourse.Since their main function is at the level of discourse (sequences of utterances) rather than at the level of utterances or sentences, discourse markers are relatively syntax-independent and usually do not change the truth conditional meaning of the sentence. [1]
A transition or linking word is a word or phrase that shows the relationship between paragraphs or sections of a text or speech. [1] Transitions provide greater cohesion by making it more explicit or signaling how ideas relate to one another. [1] Transitions are, in fact, "bridges" that "carry a reader from section to section". [1]
In linguistics, intonation is the variation in pitch used to indicate the speaker's attitudes and emotions, to highlight or focus an expression, to signal the illocutionary act performed by a sentence, or to regulate the flow of discourse. For example, the English question "Does Maria speak Spanish or French
Metadiscourse contained within a written work can be any phrase that is included within a clause or sentence that goes beyond the subject itself, often to examine the purpose of the sentence or a response from the author, usually as an introductory adverbial clause. Metadiscourse often includes phrases such as "frankly," "after all," "on the ...
Various sentences using the syllables mā, má, mǎ, mà, and ma are often used to illustrate the importance of tones to foreign learners. One example: Chinese: 妈妈骑马马慢妈妈骂马; pinyin: māma qí mǎ, mǎ màn, māma mà mǎ; lit. 'Mother is riding a horse... the horse is slow... mother scolds the horse'. [37]
Filler words generally contain little to no lexical content, but instead provide clues to the listener about how they should interpret what the speaker has said. [5] The actual words that people use may change (such as the increasing use of like), but the meaning and the reasons for using them do not change. [6]
These phrases showcase the "playing dead" defense mode, Dindinger says. Adopting extreme stances about one's ineptitude or culpability is an attempt to end uncomfortable conversations that are ...
Writers use scare quotes for a variety of reasons. They can imply doubt or ambiguity in words or ideas within the marks, [18] or even outright contempt. [19] They can indicate that a writer is purposely misusing a word or phrase [20] or that the writer is unpersuaded by the text in quotes, [21] and they can help the writer deny responsibility for the quote. [19]