Abstract

This paper analyses pragmatic and discourse markers in a corpus of mediaeval sermons, a genre that is strongly context dependent and characterised by spoken features. More specifically, it considers a number of sermons delivered by Giordano of Pisa (1260-1311) and Bernardino of Siena (1380-1444). The analysis throws up some remarkable findings. As regards the forms, the list of items that can have pragmatic meaning has been expanded; as for the functions, some markers display a wide range of pragmatic uses (multi-functionality).