PRAGMATIC FEATURES OF CONNECTING CONSTRUCTIONS IN ENGLISH DISCOURSE

Abstrak

This study analyzes the pragmatic features of connecting constructions in contemporary English discourse. While syntax explains their structural links, this research demonstrates that their full meaning depends heavily on context, speaker intentions, and situational factors. Based on Relevance Theory and politeness frameworks, the paper examines how connectors operate as dynamic pragmatic signals that guide the hearer’s interpretation. In written academic and literary texts (e.g., C. Brontë, F. S. Fitzgerald), markers like however, nevertheless, and consequently ensure textual cohesion and narrative depth. In contrast, in spontaneous spoken discourse (e.g., G. Orwell), markers such as well, so, you know, and actually manage conversational flow, mitigate disagreement, and maintain social harmony. The study concludes that connecting constructions are context-dependent cognitive tools essential for effective communication