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Discourse Part V: Discourse Markers. Chapter 4.3.6. Overview. This presentation gives a small introduction to the topic of discourse markers and a few examples in both ASL and English.
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Discourse Part V: Discourse Markers Chapter 4.3.6
Overview • This presentation gives a small introduction to the topic of discourse markers and a few examples in both ASL and English. • It also includes a few markers that are borrowed from ASL but used more commonly in TASL (or with deaf people who have very limited vision).
Discourse Markers • Discourse, when executed well, makes it clear • Who ‘has the floor’ (turn taking) • The topic (what are we talking about) • The parts of the text (e.g. background vs. the point or focus of the text), and • The motivation or purpose of the text (reason for saying something and what are the implications).
Importance • Discourse markers and other cues are especially important in writing or when communicating with a DB person. This is because in both written text and when the person is both deaf and blind, there is less context external to the text. • The text itself must therefore be even more clear.
“FYI / Let-You-Know” • This tells the listener that what follows is just information (no follow up required). • The ASL sign glossed “inform-you” or “let you know” serves this purpose. • The English words “for your information” or “just so you know..” serves this purpose.
“Curious” • Questions are marked both verbally and non-verbally. • The ASL sign glossed “curious” informs the listener that a question follows. • English establishes questions in other ways, for example “So, do…”
?? • A question mark is always used in print. It is sometimes used in ASL. • The ASL question-mark sign can be inflected several ways. One inflection can be used as an equivalent to the English “A question for you…”. • When the non-verbal cues are missing, verbal indicators are more important.
“Off-Point” • It is useful to signal a change of topic. • The ASL sign glossed “off-point” is used in this way. • English often uses the word “anyway…”.
“Put-Aside • This too indicates a change of topic but refers to the fact that the previous topic is completed whereas the “off-point” indicates a temporary digression. • English spoken discourse often marks the conclusion of one segment and the beginning of another, as in “OK”. A more formal version might be “Putting that aside for the moment…”
Rh Q • Rhetorical questions are common in ASL and thus in Tactile ASL. They serve a similar function in English and ASL, i.e. to put emphasis on the point made in the ‘answer’. • The sentence “the ice caused the car to slide off the road” becomes “the cars slid off the road why? Because of the ice on the road.”
“Visual-Information Discourse” • There are a few markers used specifically by SSPs (hearing/sighted people) with DB people to provide visual/auditory information – information that would not be made explicit for people who were not blind/deaf.
“Warn” • It is used to inform the DB person of something they need to pay attention to in the present time (e.g. “There is a cord/hose across the floor.”) • The gloss is “warning” but that English word is too strong for this meaning. It’s similar to “heads-up” but there is more immediacy.
“Suspend/Hold” • This ASL sign indicates a temporary pause in the SSP’s attention as in when someone else calls the SSP’s name and the SSP pauses the focus on the DB person to see what is needed. • English speakers might say “Just a minute…” or “Hang-on…” • It is followed with an explanation to the DB person.
“Person/Car-Approaching” • This is used to indicate an interruption by another person approaching (e.g. a wait-staff in a restaurant) or car, etc. • It indicates the focus of the SSP’s attention, the reason, and the direction from which they are coming.
Conclusion • Discourse markers are important because they help contextualize your comments and thus make them more clear. • This is especially important for listeners who do not have the benefit of visual/auditory context cues. • This list just scratches the surface. Look for more.
