Discourse Markers and Communicative Competence among Adolescent ESL Speakers in Nigeria

Abstract

This paper examines the forms, functions and communicative perceptions of discourse markers (DMs) and its communicative effects on English as a Second Language (ESL) among adolescent speakers in Nigeria using Ajayi Crowther University as a case study. Though earlier studies have been more concerned with the shapes and roles of discourse markers, this study analyzes how DMs can influence communicative competence and intelligibility. The study conceptualizes discourse markers as procedural tools that facilitate inferential processing based on the Relevance Theory, especially the study of Dan Sperber and Deirdre Wilson as adapted by Diane Blakemore. Using a mixed-methods descriptive research design, data were gathered by participant observation, formal interviews, and questionnaires that were given to 18 ESL teenage speakers (gender and region balanced). Results indicate that most common discourse markers used are and (21%), then (18.4%), like (13.2%), ok (10.5%) and well (7.9%). The rates of usage showed that female participants were much higher (76.3) than males (23.7). Patterns of frequency were also determined by ethnic background with the participants of Eastern Nigeria showing the highest usage. Most participants understood discourse markers either as informal or even potentially detrimental to formal speech, and more than half of them admitted that too much use can be a contributing factor to communication failure. The conclusion of the study is that discourse markers are cognitive and interactional facilitators that can have negative outcomes on perceived competence in overuse. The results contribute to the current literature by predicting the effects of discourse markers on the intelligibility and communicative perception in ESL situations.