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The Use of Discourse Markers in L2 English Writing by Iraqi Postgraduate Students at Karabuk University

Year 2020, Volume: 2 Issue: 1, 107 - 115, 30.05.2020

Abstract

The current study describes the use of discourse markers (DMs) in essay writing by Iraqi M.A. students at Karabuk University. 15 Iraqi M.A. students participated in this study. The main aim of the current study is to find the use of DMs in essay writing by the participants. 30 essays were written by the participants; each participant wrote two essays on two topics that were chosen. The DMs used by the participants were classified into four categories; a) Contrastive Markers (CDMs); b) Elaborative Markers (EDMs); c) Implicative Markers (IDMs) and d) Temporal Markers (TDMs). The result of the current study shows that the participants used EDMs (64%) followed by TDMs (20%), CMDs (10%) and IDMs (6%). It was concluded that the students had overused the EDMs, such as ‘and’, ‘or’, ‘but’, ‘as’, and ‘also’. In addition, they had misused some DMs in their writing. The study also concluded that students’ ability in using discourse markers have to be developed to reach the Academic level in their writing.

Thanks

I really appreciate Dr. Nayef Jomaa's help in developing the research idea. Hoping to contribute the English studies well.

References

  • Ab Manan, N. A., & Raslee, N. N. (2016). The Use of Discourse Markers in Paragraph Writing Among Malaysian ESL Learners. Universiti Teknologi MARA Cawangan Perak, 22–30. Retrieved from: https://scholar.google.com/scholar?oi=bibs&cluster=211677040386105575&btnI=1&hl=en
  • Bell, D. M. (2010). Cancellative discourse markers: A core/ periphery approach. Journal of Pragmatics, 8(4), 515-541.
  • Brinton, L. J. (1996). Pragmatic markers in English: grammaticalization and discourse functions. Berlin: Walter de Gruyter.
  • Brown, G. & Yule, G. (1983). Discourse analysis. New York: Cambridge University Press.
  • Dan-ni, S., & Zheng, C. (2010). Analyzing the micro coherence in English writing and implications for the teaching of English writing. Sino-US English Teaching, 7(12), 7-10.
  • Fraser, B. (1999). What are discourse markers? Journal of Pragmatics, 31(1), 931-952.
  • Fraser, B. (2004). An account of discourse markers. In Garcés, P., R. Gómez, L. Fernández, & M. Padilla. (Eds.). Current trends in intercultural, cognitive and social pragmatics. Sevilla: Universidad de Sevilla: 13-34.
  • Halliday, M.A.K., & Hasan, R. (1976). Cohesion in English. London: Longman.
  • House, J. (2013). Developing pragmatic competence in English as a lingua franca: Using discourse markers to express (inter) subjectivity and connectivity. Journal of Pragmatics, 59(1), 57-67.
  • Jalilifar, A. (2008). Discourse markers in composition writings: The case of Iranian learners of English as a foreign language. English Language Teaching, 1(2), 114-122.
  • Jomaa, N. J. (2019). Multiple Approaches for Analysing Academic Discourses: Similarities and Differences. Eurasian Journal of English Language and Literature, 1(1), 1-14
  • Jomaa, N.J., & Bidin, S.J. (2017). Perspective of EFL doctoral students on challenges of citations in academic writing. Malaysian Journal of Learning and Instruction (MJLI), 14 (2), 177-209.
  • Jomaa, N. J. & Bidin, S. J. (2019). Reporting and Quoting: Functional Analyses of Logico-Semantic Relations of Clause Complex Citations. 3L: The Southeast Asian Journal of English Language Studies, 25(1), 158 -178
  • Martinez, A. C. L. (2004) Discourse markers in the expository writing of Spanish university students. IBÉRICA, 8(1), 63-80.
  • Norrish, J. (1983). Language learners and their errors. London: The Macmillan Press.
  • Polat, B. (2011). Investigating acquisition of discourse markers through a developmental learner corpus. Journal of Pragmatics, 43(1), 3745-3756.
  • Quirk, R., Greenbaum, S., Leech, G. & Svartvik, J. (1985). A comprehensive grammar of the English language. London: Longman.
  • Rahimi, M. (2011). Discourse markers in argumentative and expository writing of Iranian EFL learners. World Journal of English Language. 1(2), 68-78.
  • Sadeghi, B. & Kargar, A. (2014). The effect of explicit instruction of discourse markers on EFL learners’ writing ability. International Journal of Educational Investigations, 1(1), 328-338.
  • Urgelles-Coll, M. (2010). The syntax and semantic of discourse markers. London: Continuum International Publishing.
  • Wang, Y. & Guo, M. (2014). A short analysis of discourse coherence. Journal of Language Teaching and Research, 5(2), 460-465.
  • Witte, S. P. & Faigley, L. (1981). Coherence, cohesion, and writing quality. College Composition and Communication, 32(2), 189-204.
  • Zarei, F. (2013). Discourse markers in English. International Research Journal of Applied and Basic Science, 4(1), 107-117.
Year 2020, Volume: 2 Issue: 1, 107 - 115, 30.05.2020

Abstract

References

  • Ab Manan, N. A., & Raslee, N. N. (2016). The Use of Discourse Markers in Paragraph Writing Among Malaysian ESL Learners. Universiti Teknologi MARA Cawangan Perak, 22–30. Retrieved from: https://scholar.google.com/scholar?oi=bibs&cluster=211677040386105575&btnI=1&hl=en
  • Bell, D. M. (2010). Cancellative discourse markers: A core/ periphery approach. Journal of Pragmatics, 8(4), 515-541.
  • Brinton, L. J. (1996). Pragmatic markers in English: grammaticalization and discourse functions. Berlin: Walter de Gruyter.
  • Brown, G. & Yule, G. (1983). Discourse analysis. New York: Cambridge University Press.
  • Dan-ni, S., & Zheng, C. (2010). Analyzing the micro coherence in English writing and implications for the teaching of English writing. Sino-US English Teaching, 7(12), 7-10.
  • Fraser, B. (1999). What are discourse markers? Journal of Pragmatics, 31(1), 931-952.
  • Fraser, B. (2004). An account of discourse markers. In Garcés, P., R. Gómez, L. Fernández, & M. Padilla. (Eds.). Current trends in intercultural, cognitive and social pragmatics. Sevilla: Universidad de Sevilla: 13-34.
  • Halliday, M.A.K., & Hasan, R. (1976). Cohesion in English. London: Longman.
  • House, J. (2013). Developing pragmatic competence in English as a lingua franca: Using discourse markers to express (inter) subjectivity and connectivity. Journal of Pragmatics, 59(1), 57-67.
  • Jalilifar, A. (2008). Discourse markers in composition writings: The case of Iranian learners of English as a foreign language. English Language Teaching, 1(2), 114-122.
  • Jomaa, N. J. (2019). Multiple Approaches for Analysing Academic Discourses: Similarities and Differences. Eurasian Journal of English Language and Literature, 1(1), 1-14
  • Jomaa, N.J., & Bidin, S.J. (2017). Perspective of EFL doctoral students on challenges of citations in academic writing. Malaysian Journal of Learning and Instruction (MJLI), 14 (2), 177-209.
  • Jomaa, N. J. & Bidin, S. J. (2019). Reporting and Quoting: Functional Analyses of Logico-Semantic Relations of Clause Complex Citations. 3L: The Southeast Asian Journal of English Language Studies, 25(1), 158 -178
  • Martinez, A. C. L. (2004) Discourse markers in the expository writing of Spanish university students. IBÉRICA, 8(1), 63-80.
  • Norrish, J. (1983). Language learners and their errors. London: The Macmillan Press.
  • Polat, B. (2011). Investigating acquisition of discourse markers through a developmental learner corpus. Journal of Pragmatics, 43(1), 3745-3756.
  • Quirk, R., Greenbaum, S., Leech, G. & Svartvik, J. (1985). A comprehensive grammar of the English language. London: Longman.
  • Rahimi, M. (2011). Discourse markers in argumentative and expository writing of Iranian EFL learners. World Journal of English Language. 1(2), 68-78.
  • Sadeghi, B. & Kargar, A. (2014). The effect of explicit instruction of discourse markers on EFL learners’ writing ability. International Journal of Educational Investigations, 1(1), 328-338.
  • Urgelles-Coll, M. (2010). The syntax and semantic of discourse markers. London: Continuum International Publishing.
  • Wang, Y. & Guo, M. (2014). A short analysis of discourse coherence. Journal of Language Teaching and Research, 5(2), 460-465.
  • Witte, S. P. & Faigley, L. (1981). Coherence, cohesion, and writing quality. College Composition and Communication, 32(2), 189-204.
  • Zarei, F. (2013). Discourse markers in English. International Research Journal of Applied and Basic Science, 4(1), 107-117.
There are 23 citations in total.

Details

Primary Language English
Subjects Linguistics
Journal Section Articles
Authors

Sarmad Alahmed

Yahya Mohammed

Özkan Kırmızı

Publication Date May 30, 2020
Published in Issue Year 2020 Volume: 2 Issue: 1

Cite

APA Alahmed, S., Mohammed, Y., & Kırmızı, Ö. (2020). The Use of Discourse Markers in L2 English Writing by Iraqi Postgraduate Students at Karabuk University. Eurasian Journal of English Language and Literature, 2(1), 107-115.