The role of well as a response-delaying marker in side story insertions

Datos Bibliográficos

ID21200907
AutoresRyo Takamura (0009-0009-2718-4894, Kyoto Seika University, autor de correspondencia)
Año2026
Volumen17
Número3
Páginas315-334
Fecha de publicación2026-04-17
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaPragmatics and Society (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 1878-9714 • E-ISSN: 1878-9722
EditorialJohn Benjamins Publishing Company (PUBLISHER • NL)
DOI10.1075/ps.24099.tak
OpenAlexW4413078200
IdiomaEN
Referencias citadas29

This study explores the use of the discourse marker well as a response-delaying marker in non-straightforward answers to wh -questions, specifically when responses involve inserting a side story. Through a detailed analysis of conversational data, particularly from interviews, this study identifies a pattern in which well is used to introduce background information as a side story before the core response is delivered, marked by but as a discourse marker. This sequential use of well and but serves to structure the discourse in a way that allows the speaker to provide the necessary context or background before directly addressing the question. The study examines this phenomenon within the framework of discourse analysis, providing insights into how such markers function in managing conversational flow and response coherence

Biology · Discourse analysis · Discourse marker · Epistemology · Linguistics · Phenomenon · Sociology · Discourse Analysis in Language Studies · History · Language, Discourse, Communication Strategies · Linguistic Variation and Morphology · Psychology