A Study Of The Pragmatic Constraints Of Discourse Markers Based On Relevance Theory

In verbal communication,discourse markers are frequently used.Coupled with linguistic turn,they have been chosen as the subject of vigorous academic debate by many scholars.Both the communicative parties are guided or constrained by some discourse markers to some extent in the process of their ostensive and inferential communication.The paper,based on the relevance theory,analyzes the pragmatic constraints of discourse markers from the perspectives of the communicator and the audience,classifies discourse markers from a cognitive perspective,and describes the ostensive and context-designing processes of the speaker as well as the inferential and optimal relevance processes of the listener by using Criminal Minds as a case study.The paper extracts several typical discourse markers(connotational,transitional and resultant markers)and analyzes their performances and strengths of pragmatic constraints.It can be found that discourse markers have different strengths of pragmatic constraints,of which transitional discourse markers are especially the highest one.An analysis of pragmatic constraints of discourse markers is of great help for people to get a better understanding of discourse markers,achieve the communicative purposes and make the communication successful.