Discourse markers: a pragmatic category?

Abstract

[Abstract] This paper examines whether discourse markers can be considered a pragmatic category rather than a purely grammatical one. The study analyses the heterogeneous nature of discourse markers and argues that their defining properties are linked to discourse organization, speaker attitude and interactional functions. From a lexical-pragmatic perspective, the paper explores the relationship between discourse markers, interjections and other non-descriptive lexical units, emphasizing their role in signaling communicative intentions rather than describing states of affairs. The discussion also addresses the implications of this approach for lexicographic description and for the classification of discourse markers within linguistic theory.