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A relevance-theoretic analysis of yeah as a discourse marker

The paper attempts to explain English native speakers’ use of the discourse marker yeah from a relevance-theoretic perspective (Sperber & Wilson, 1995). As a discourse marker, yeah normally functions as a continuer, an agreement marker, a turn-taking marker, or a disfluency marker. However, according to Relevance Theory, yeah can also be considered a procedural expression, and therefore, is expected to help yield necessary constraints on the contexts, which facilitates understanding in human communication by encoding one of the three contextual effects (contextual implication, strengthening, or contradiction) or reorienting the audience to certain assumptions which lead to the intended interpretation. Analyses of examples taken from conversations with a native speaker of English suggest that each use of yeah as a discourse marker is able to put a certain type of constraints on the relevance of the accompanying utterance. These initial analyses serve as a foundation for further research to confirm its multi-functionality as a procedural expression when examined within the framework of Relevance Theory. | A RELEVANCE-THEORETIC ANALYSIS OF YEAH AS A DISCOURSE MARKER Dam Ha Thuy VNU University of Languages and International Studies Pham Van Dong Cau Giay Hanoi Vietnam Received 18 February 2019 Revised 25 April 2019 Accepted 31 May 2019 Abstract The paper attempts to explain English native speakers use of the discourse marker yeah from a relevance-theoretic perspective Sperber Wilson 1995 . As a discourse marker yeah normally functions as a continuer an agreement marker a turn-taking marker or a disfluency marker. However according to Relevance Theory yeah can also be considered a procedural expression and therefore is expected to help yield necessary constraints on the contexts which facilitates understanding in human communication by encoding one of the three contextual effects contextual implication strengthening or contradiction or reorienting the audience to certain assumptions which lead to the intended interpretation. Analyses of examples taken from conversations with a native speaker of English suggest that each use of yeah as a discourse marker is able to put a certain type of constraints on the relevance of the accompanying utterance. These initial analyses serve as a foundation for further research to confirm its multi-functionality as a procedural expression when examined within the framework of Relevance Theory. Keywords Relevance Theory yeah discourse marker contextual effects constraints on relevance 1. Introduction. 1.1. Rationale Relevance theory RT developed by Wilson and Sperber in 1986 is an inferential approach to the study of human communication. Its purpose is to elaborate on a Gricean claim that human communication is characterized by the expression and recognition of intentions Wilson Sperber 2004 p. 607 . RT s major claim is that cognitive processes in human beings are supposed to obtain as great cognitive effect as possible while making as little processing effort as possible Sperber Wilson 1995 p. vii . Tel. 84-913259155 Email .