PRAGMATICS OF COMMENT MARKERS: A CORPUS-BASED ANALYSIS OF PAKISTANI ENGLISH AND BRITISH ENGLISH

Abstract

 Present study examines the pragmatics of comment markers in Pakistani and British English using a corpus based approach. Comment markers such as epistemic, style markers and evaluative serve as vital linguistic resources for managing interpersonal relations, organizing discourses and expressing attitudes of the speaker. This study investigates the frequency as well as the pragmatic functions of comment markers in two macro genres: Blogs and General from Global Web-based Corpus of English. The data for the study is analyzed using convergent parallel approach (Creswell, 2014) to explore how localized linguistic practices are reflected through different types of comment markers. Schneider’s Dynamic Model (2007) provides the theoretical understanding of the nativization and evolutionary developments of postcolonial varieties such as Pakistani English. Findings of present study reveal the distinct patterns of comment markers and their usage. The study shows how these markers are shaped by the levels of textual informality, multilingual influence and socio-cultural norms in Pakistani English.  These findings highlight that epistemic markers are used for persuasion and assertion while in British English these markers are used to maintain epistemic caution. British English shows an implicit evaluation while Pakistani English favors more explicit in terms of the usage of evaluative markers. There is more conventional use of the style markers in British English while Pakistani English reflects reader engagement and rhetorical effect that indicate an ongoing nativization. Present study recommends to further explore the digital corpora to identify emerging linguistic and pragmatic norms in postcolonial varieties of English.