Uh and Um as Pragmatic Markers in Dialogues: A Contrastive Perspective on the Functions of Planners in Fiction and Conversation

Abstract The planners uh and um fulfil a range of interpersonal discursive functions, akin to other pragmatic markers. Although there appear be differences between the planners’ functions across genres, factors influencing these have not been analysed comprehensively so far. In our study, we analyse frequency three different genres: spontaneous conversation, scripted dialogues in television series improvised theatre. Our findings suggest that both fictional nature text its degree composition an influence on functions. results confirm are indeed markers which serve textual affected by relating context language production, include spontaneity as well content function text.