Discourse marker so: A comparison between English language learners and English-dominant speakers.

摘要

This thesis investigates how English language learners (ELLs) use the discourse marker so, in comparison to (Canadian) English-dominant speakers (EDSs). The data were collected from audio recordings of 20 one-on-one sessions with ten EDSs, five Korean ELLs, and five Japanese ELLs. Overall, the ELLs employed so in a very similar fashion to the EDSs. The results, however, revealed a notable anomaly in the use of one of so's functions in the ELL data. Overall, the ELLs were found to employ Move so more frequently in comparison to the EDSs. Moreover, an examination of a related Korean and Japanese discourse marker demonstrated the role of L1 transfer in the acquisition of an L2. It was also discovered that greater English-learning experience abroad and self-declared awareness of some of so's functions did not necessarily result in the learners using the discourse marker in a similar manner to the EDSs in the study.