PRAGMATIC POTENTIAL OF DISCOURSE MARKERS

The present article aims to outline the pragmatic functions of discourse markers viewed as language items structuring discourse. This issue requires thorough research not only from the language theory viewpoint but from linguоdidactic, particularly pragmalinguоdidactic, viewpoint as well. We focus on the pragmatic potential of grammatical discourse markers. These are pragmatic idioms, infinitive constructions and tag questions. The results of the material analysis from the 4English corpora (BNC, COCA, NOW, iWeb) enabled to demonstrate the complex of functions that these grammar patterns perform in the discourse: etiquette, motivation for action, reproach, regret etc., they are also characterized by polifunctionality. In addition to grammatical discourse markers, the issue of functional patterns of lexical discourse markers is addressed. As far as they determine the syntactic pattern of a sentence, they can perform grammatical pragmatic function as well. Their meaning is to express the degree of certainty of the speaker about the information given in the utterance. Intentional training of L2 learners in the use of discourse markers patterns enables to maintain the principles of authentic discourse-based approach to teaching a foreign language.