Discourse Markers in Complaints and Apologies: A Comparison between Native and Non-Native Speakers of Italian

The present study analyses the uses and functions of discursive markers (DMs) in complaints and apologies performed by learners of Italian as L2 and native speakers of Italian engaged in dyadic interactions. Oral data were elicited through prototypical scenarios, where the context and the relationship between the interlocutors were variable. The comparison between learners and natives highlighted some differences both in the use and in the variety of DMs. In general, native speakers exploited the DMs’ polyfunctionality when performing the speech acts, combining them with politeness strategies, to strengthen or attenuate the illocutionary force or to guide the interlocutor in the interpretation of the message. This made their expressions more effective and appropriate to the context and the interlocutor. On the other hand, even the most advanced learners did not draw upon similar strategies. Despite using a discrete variety of DMs, they showed less variability in DM usage depending on contextual variables. In some cases, this resulted in expressions that were too emphatic or impositive and less appropriate when addressing a distant interlocutor or a superior. The outcome of this study could offer useful information for language teaching.