Discourse Markers in L2 Spanish Writing

Abstract

This paper reports on the use and frequency of two types of discourse markers (MDs): Discourse Connectors (CDs) and Socio-Pragmatic Markers (MSPs). In the context of written tasks using a genre-based approach, fortyfour learners of Spanish as a second language (N=44), enrolled in writing workshops during an academic semester, produced three types of texts: a narration, an expository essay, and an argumentative essay. Results show that learners use CDs more frequently to build text coherence in narrative and
argumentative essays. The MSPs, used to a much lesser extent, allow learners to involve orality features in their narrations. A core group of thirteen CDs seems to fulfill almost 90% of the metadiscursive and cognitive functions in L2 Spanish writing.