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Periodical article Periodical article Leiden University catalogue Leiden University catalogue WorldCat catalogue WorldCat
Title:'Mos' as a discourse marker in rural Cape Afrikaans
Authors:Jantjies, WesleyISNI
Van Dulm, OndeneISNI
Year:2012
Periodical:Language Matters: Studies in the Languages of Africa (ISSN 1022-8195)
Volume:43
Issue:1
Pages:3-20
Language:English
Geographic term:South Africa
Subjects:Afrikaans language
dialects
grammar
Abstract:This article aims to characterize 'mos' as a discourse marker (DM), and to explore its pragmatic functions in the discourse of speakers of non-standard Afrikaans. Through an analysis of the functions of the use of 'mos' in conversational data collected among nine rural speakers of so-called 'Cape Afrikaans', spoken in South Africa, 'mos' is shown to fulfil a number of criteria drawn from the relevant literature by which an item may be characterized as a DM. In particular, 'mos' is seen to function in relating segments of discourse, creating coherence in narratives, expressing logical and causal links, indicating a speaker's position with regard to a proposition, constructing an argument, managing shared information, and signalling a comment on a proposition. It is shown that the DM 'mos' has a wide range of functions in the discourse of rural speakers of Cape Afrikaans. Bibliogr., sum. [Journal abstract]
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