Alharbi, Nuha and Collins, Luke and Hardie, Andrew (2025) A Corpus-Based Study of Discourse Markers in English as a Second Language by Arabic-Speaking Children. PhD thesis, Lancaster University.
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Abstract
This thesis presents a corpus-based approach to the exploration of the use of discourse markers in the speech of Arabic-speaking school-age children learning English as a second language. The study compares the use of discourse markers in this corpus of Arab children with a corpus of the language of English-speaking children. In addition, it examines the role of context and length of preschool study on the use of English discourse markers by Arab children. Using both quantitative and qualitative approaches, the present study surveys the frequencies and functions of English discourse markers in the speech of Arabic-speaking children in comparison to their usage in age-matched English-speaking children. In order to address the multifunctionality of discourse markers, the study adopts a proposed framework of functions based on previous studies (Müller, 2005; Aijmer, 2013; Brinton, 1996, 2006, 2017, 2023). The framework consists of two domains of functions, i.e. textual and interpersonal, in which a set of subfunctions is listed. The eight most frequent discourse markers in the two corpora are identified. Quantitative analysis shows that the discourse markers like, yeah and okay are the most frequent discourse markers in the speech of Arab children. English-speaking children use yeah, like and oh more than the other discourse markers. Both groups of children rarely use the two-word discourse markers you know and I mean. Among the eight selected discourse markers studied, well is comparatively the least frequent in the speech of Arabic-speaking children. Analysing the frequencies of discourse markers in the speech of Arabic-speaking children according to the context and duration of learning English as a second language shows no differences in the overall use of discourse markers. However, there is some variation in frequency of some discourse markers between the groups of Arab speakers. Subsequent qualitative analysis of the eight discourse markers offers some indications of differences between the use of discourse markers by Arabic and English-speaking children. These differences appear according to the frequencies of discourse marker functions between the two groups of speakers. In addition, each group of children uses some discourse markers to fulfil certain functions that are not performed by the other group.