Common Discourse Particles in English Conversation

First published in 1985, this book studies several common items in English conversation known variously as ΓÇÿdiscourse particlesΓÇÖ, ΓÇÿinterjectionsΓÇÖ, ΓÇÿdiscourse markersΓÇÖ, and, more informally, ΓÇÿhesitationsΓÇÖ or ΓÇÿfillersΓÇÖ. While the analysis primarily focuses on ΓÇÿlikeΓÇÖ, ΓÇÿwellΓÇÖ and ΓÇÿyou knowΓÇÖ, the larger concern is the entire set of items of which these are members and as such ΓÇÿI meanΓÇÖ, ΓÇÿnowΓÇÖ, ΓÇÿohΓÇÖ, ΓÇÿheyΓÇÖ, and ΓÇÿahaΓÇÖ are also examined. These discourse particles are analysed at length and then a framework is proposed in which their use individually makes sense and allows revealing comparisons to be made between them. This book will be of interest to students of linguistics