Markers of Importance Used in Lectures in Lectures from TOEFL iBT

Abstract

This paper is aimed to examine the teachers’ markers of importance in terms of syntactic, semantic, and pragmatic features and to provide the Vietnamese teachers and students of English with insightful knowledge of the use and interpretation of the meaning of markers of importance in teachers’ lecturers in English. A theoretical framework of Functional Grammar, theory of Speech Acts, Semiotics and Jakobson’s Communicative Functions was used in this descriptive study. Data came from 200 instances of teachers’ markers of importance gathered from TOEFL iBT lecture transcripts by lecturers of different subjects The frequency of teachers’ markers of importance in terms of syntax, deontic modality, theory of semiotics and speech acts was identified. It was found that most of the teachers’ markers of importance occurred in the forms of declarative and imperative sentences as a Theme or Rheme. Discourse functions as emphasizing the main points and getting students’ attention to the lesson by suggesting, forcing, or advising and creating a better relationship between teacher and students. The findings suggest some implications for the teaching of markers of importance in English instruction Vietnam