Abstract
This study aims to investigate the functions and usage of the discourse particle dui in naturally occurring interactional data in spoken Mandarin from a discourse-pragmatic perspective. We propose that besides functioning as an agreement token, dui can also be used for pragmatic purposes. Seeking from its appearing at different sequential locations, we find that dui can be used as basic markers to reinforce the illocutionary force of the sentence proposition. As a discourse marker, dui not only signals the transition of interactional sequences of discourse but also reflects on speaker’s conceptual processing in communication. We also try to provide further explanation for the prevalent use of dui in discourse along the lines of approaches suggested by Brown & Levinson (1987) and Leech (1983). The result suggests that (a) the propositional meaning of dui and procedural meaning of dui are intertwined with each other in each sequential location, which is influenced by affirmative meaning of dui; (b) the use of dui is psychologically motivated such as the planning marker use; and (c) functions of specific form such as dui can be sound and tangible when the structure as well as contexts are taken into consideration.