DISCOURSE MARKERS IN STEVE JOBS’ SPEECH INTRODUCING IPHONE IN MACWORLD 2007

Abstract

Discourse markers (DMs) are simply defined as words or phrases that contribute to manage the cohesiveness and to link the ideas expressed in either spoken or written form of communication. This study centers on the identification of types and functions of discourse markers in Steve Jobs’ Introducing iPhone in Macworld 2007 speech. As one of the world’s inspiring figures in delivering a well-structured speech, Jobs utilized several types of DMs with the total of 123 data. The speech under study was categorized as a less formal speech delivered in an expo whose participants were Steve Job’s colleagues and the exhibition’s attendees. There were 78 markers of connective (63,5%), 20 data (16,2%) for markers of cause and result, 13 data (10,6%) for marker of temporal adverb, 10 data (8,1%) for markers of response, and 2 data  (1,6%) for marker of information and participation. The results showed that DMs played a significant role in connecting the statements meant to be communicatively shared by the speaker, i.e. Steve Jobs to introduce a new invention that is perfectly worth promoting.