Investigating EFL Learners' Use of Pragmatic Marker Combinations

Abstract

This research filled a gap by investigating the use of pragmatic marker (PM) combinations (PMCs) by advanced-level learners of English as a foreign language (EFL) from three Southeast Asian countries, namely Thailand, Indonesia, and Myanmar. The aim was to identify all the PMCs and all the types of the PMCs that the Thai, Indonesian, and Burmese advanced-level EFL learners used. The results revealed that three PMCs were used by all the participants from the three southeast Asian countries, namely the PMCs but when, and when, and uh/um like. Both the Thai and the Indonesian participants used the PMCs and I think and uh/um I think most often, whereas the Burmese participants used the PMCs well I think and like uh/um most frequently. The participants from the three southeast Asian countries used the same PMs as the first PM in the PMCs most often, namely the PMs and, uh/um, and but. In addition, the participants from the three southeast Asian countries used the same four PMs as the second PMs in the PMCs most often, namely the PMs I think, uh/um, like, and when. Both the Thai and the Indonesian participants used the juxtaposition type most often, while the Burmese participants used the composition sub-type in combination most frequently.