The Discourse Markers 'Olha' And 'Viu' And Their Pragmatic Functions In Language Use

Objective: The objective of this study is to investigate and describe the pragmatic contexts of the discourse markers "olha" and "viu" in vernacular language, identifying patterns of functioning through a functionalist analysis of these phenomena. Theoretical Framework: The main theoretical concepts guiding this research are rooted in a functional approach to language, based on a dynamic conception of language (Bybee, 2016), where use, discourse, and grammar interrelate in linguistic structuring. Additionally, we mapped what key authors (Risso, Silva, and Urbano, 2006; Brinton, 2017; and Traugott, 2022) in the field say about discourse markers, concluding that these elements are multifunctional; although optional from a syntactic perspective, they play an essential discourse-pragmatic role, considering their thetic nature of monitoring and regulating interaction. Method: We adopted a mixed methodology (Cunha Lacerda, 2016), which includes a qualitative and quantitative approach. The study design involves analyzing the phenomenon based on data samples drawn from three corpora: the Corpus of Cultured Portuguese of Vitória da Conquista (PCVC), the Corpus of Popular Portuguese of Vitória da Conquista (PPVC), and the Linguistic Corpus of Ibicoara. These corpora contain a total of 591,425 words from oral interviews following Labovian standards. For data analysis, we used the freeware AntConc, a corpus analysis tool required for linguistic studies, allowing for detailed searches and analyses. After data collection and quantification, we proceeded to an interpretative analysis of each occurrence found. Results and Discussion: Data collection revealed a total of 284 occurrences, of which 147 were for the marker "olha" and 137 for "viu." Pragmatically, these markers demonstrated multifunctionality through six distinct functions, namely: prefacing: delaying or deviating from the expected initial response by the interlocutor; argumentation: marking the speaker's position in presenting or defending a viewpoint and inviting the interlocutor to share it; reported speech: introducing a reported statement in another communicative context; interjection: a phatic function indicating the speaker's feelings; seeking discursive approval: the speaker's request for approval from the interlocutor to continue the discourse; and feedback: complementing the quest for discursive approval and expressing a clear orientation of the listener toward the speaker through attentive enga