‘Yeah obvs. That’s awesome’: A Short-Term Semantic-Pragmatic Change in Present-Day English

Abstract

The aim of this study is to analyze the changes in the frequency and use of obviously over a short period of time in present-day English using comparable spoken corpora. Obviously has both an evidential inferential meaning and intersubjective or engagement meaning where it presents information as shared by the speaker and the hearer. The analysis of the occurrences of obviously shows that it is increasing in frequency as an engagement marker particularly when the use of the first and second person subject suggests a high degree of speaker and hearer presence. The people using obviously as an engagement marker are young, mostly female speakers who use obviously because it is fashionable and new. Specifically, obviously is used instead of of course to express that something is assumed or expected. The rapid rise in frequency of obviously has a parallel in American English which suggests that globalization plays a role for its spread.