Discourse Markers 2

1. Discourse Markers 2 Adverbs and Adverbial expressions

2. What are discourse markers? Words or expressions, often adverbs or adverbial expressions, which help you understand: • The connection between what the speaker is saying and what has already been said. • The connection between what the speaker has said and what he is going to say now • What the speaker thinks about what he is saying  These presentation will focus on this subject.

3. Talking of… • Use: to change the direction of the conversation, but making a link to what has been said. • Example: A: Students should attend as many lessons as possible, do homework and study for their tests. B: Talking of homework, how useful do you think it is?

4. By the way/Incidentally • Use: to introduce something you have just thought of, or to change the subject completely. • Example: So that’s what the plan for the rest of our lessons. By the way/Incidenteally, would you change anything in the way grammar is taught in this course?

5. Actually/In fact/As a matter of a fact • Use: to introduce additional or unexpected information. • Example: A: Did you study the vocabulary list the teacher give? B: Actually,/In fact,/As a matter of a fact, I hate vocabulary lists. They are stupid and useless.

6. In any case/Anyway • Use: to introduce an idea that what you said before is less important than what you are going to say. Also, to return to the main topic after a digression. • Example: There are some things you learn best in calm, and some in storm. In any case,/Anyway, I think learning is a lifetime journey.  

7. At least • Use: to introduce a positive point after some negative information. Also, to make what you just have said less definite. • Example: 1) Yes, I failed the test. At least, I’m absolutely sure I did my best. 2) Education consists mainly of what we have unlearned… or at least that’s what Mark Twain used to say.

8. As I was saying • Use: to return to a previous subject, often after you have been interrupted. • Example: As I was saying, if we don’t have a whiteboard to use, we’ll have to do with the projector.

9. On the whole • Use: to generalize. • Example: “Some people will never learn anything, for this reason, because they understand everything too soon.” On the whole, what Alexander Pope was trying to say is that…  

10. All in all • Use: to say that you are taking everything into consideration. • Example: Literal translation and translation of meaning might both prove useful depending on the situation, but all in all, I think that a translation of meaning is more suitable when working with novels.

11. After all • Use: to introduce a strong argument that the other person might not have taken into consideration. • Example: We should try and study. After all, the worst thing that can happen is that we fail the test.

12. Besides • Use: to add additional information or arguments. • Example: And how is education supposed to make me feel smarter? Besides, every time I learn something new, it pushes some old stuff out of my brain. Remember when I took that home winemaking course, and I forgot how to drive?Homer Simpson

13. Basically • Use: to introduce the most important or fundamental point. • Example: I've always thought my soundtracks do pretty good, because they're basically professional equivalents of a mix tape I'd make for you at home. Quentin Tarantino 

14. Obviously • Use: to introduce a fact that is very clear to see or understand. • Example: Obviously, a government can’t get everything 100% right or wrong. Life’s not black or white.

15. I mean • Use: to make things clearer or give more details. • Example: He is a good student. I mean, he goes to the lessons and does his homework even though he’s a very busy person.

16. In other words • Use: to say something again in another way. • Example: Fill my heart with songAnd let me sing for ever moreYou are all I long forAll I worship and adoreIn other words, please be trueIn other words, I love you. “Fly Me to the Moon” F. Sinatra

17. Otherwise • Use: to say what the result would be if something didn’t happen or if the situation were different. • Example: If you love someone, you say it, right then, out loud. Otherwise, the moment just passes you by.  Julia Roberts

18. As far as…is concerned/As regards…/Regarding… • Use: to introduce a new topic or to announce a change of subject. • Example: The lack of objectivity, as far as foreign nations are concerned, is notorious. From one day to another, another nation is made out to be utterly depraved and fiendish, while ones own nation stands for everything that is good and noble.

19. That is to say • Use: to introduce an explanation or clarification of a point you’ve just made. • Example: There are known knowns. These are things we know that we know. There are known unknowns. That is to say, there are things that we know we don't know. But there are also unknown unknowns. There are things we don't know we don't know.  Donald Rumsfeld (American Politician)

20. On the one hand… on the other hand • Use: to introduce an explanation or clarification of a point you’ve just made. • Example: The aim of science is, on the one hand, as complete a comprehension as possible of the connection between perceptible experiences in their totality, and, on the other hand, the achievement of this aim by employing a minimum of primary concepts and relations.Albert Einstein

21. Questions?