A Study of Discourse Markers “Xiànzài”, “Ránhòu” and “Huítóu” in Mandarin Chinese

Abstract

Discourse markers are essential in structuring communication and ensuring coherence in daily interactions. While significant progress has been made in studying discourse markers in English since the 1980s, related research concerning Mandarin Chinese discourse markers remains relatively sparse, particularly regarding their multifunctionality in discourse. This study focuses on three discourse markers xiànzài “now”, ránhòu “then” and huítóu “return” in Mandarin Chinese, examining their discourse functions from the perspective of grammaticalization and subjectification. Based on the qualitative analysis of the Mandarin corpus data, it is found that xiànzài “now” mostly functions as a particle of attention seeking and warning in everyday interactions. Ránhòu “then” is found to becoming more and more abstract in its grammaticalization pathway, and eventually developed into a discourse filler that fills the gap. Huítóu “return”, on a separate note, is the most distinctive of the three markers, whose function is becoming more and more closely related to the speaker’s subjective attitudes, and which expresses a positive attitude of the speaker’s evaluation. These results highlight the interplay between the functions of discourse markers and context, shedding light on the different ways Mandarin speakers structure communication. This study contributes to the deeper understanding of discourse markers in Chinese.

Date of Award	9 Jan 2025
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Hong Kong Baptist University
Supervisor	Winnie CHOR (Supervisor)