THE “LECTURER'S<i>OK</i>” REVISITED: CHANGING DISCOURSE CONVENTIONS AND THE INFLUENCE OF ACADEMIC DIVISION

Abstract

This article examines the structural markers okay, alright, right, and now and discusses the use and functions of these structures in the speech of Humanities and Natural Sciences instructors in 24 American university lectures. It then investigates whether there is a correlational link between different structural markers and the academic division, age, and sex of the speaker. This article argues that cross-disciplinary differences in preferred teaching styles and content in lectures across different academic divisions are major factors determining variations in the use of structural markers in academic settings, while age plays only a minor role, and gender none at all.