Pragmatic Analysis of Discourse Markers in Imran Khan’s English Speeches

Authors

  • Tayyiba Naz

    Department of English, Faculty of Language and Culture Studies, Sindh Madressatul Islam University, Karachi 74000, Pakistan
  • Abdul Malik Abbasi *

    Department of English, Faculty of Language and Culture Studies, SMI University, Karachi 74000, Pakistan
  • Dua Bushra

    College of Languages, Literature & Culture, Ziauddin University, Karachi 75600, Pakistan

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.55121/le.v2i2.666

Keywords:

Pragmatic Exploration, Linguistic Analysis, Pakistani English, Discourse Markers, Political Speech, Strategic Discourse

Abstract

This study investigates the strategic use of discourse markers (DMs) in Imran Khan’s political speeches through a pragmatic lens, aiming to uncover how language functions to construct ideological narratives. The study utilized a qualitative discourse-pragmatic approach to analyse ten speeches by one of the political leaders from 2013 to 2022, chosen for their structure, rhetoric, scope, and subject variety. The transcripts, as secondary data, were sourced from reputable media outlets. The analysis takes a qualitative discourse-pragmatic approach, drawing on Schiffrin's and Fraser's Discourse Markers taxonomies. Each marker was detected in context and classified according to its function. The study focused on how Discourse Markers contribute to rhetorical goals and ideological framing. The DMs were categorized into five functional types: contrastive, inferential, elaborative, topic-management, and interpersonal. The findings reveal that the former PM consistently employs DMs to build moral binaries, justify political actions, amplify reformist agendas, and simulate conversational intimacy with the audience. These markers serve as rhetorical scaffolds that enhance coherence, reinforce populist appeal, and foreground ideological clarity. The study highlights how DMs—often overlooked as peripheral elements—play a central role in shaping political discourse, particularly within populist frameworks where emotional resonance and strategic ambiguity are key. It also underscores the pedagogical value of DMs for ESL education, advocating for their inclusion in curriculum design to foster pragmatic competence and critical language awareness. Ultimately, the study affirms that discourse markers are not merely linguistic fillers but potent instruments of persuasion, ideology, and narrative control in contemporary political rhetoric.

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How to Cite

Naz, T., Abbasi, A. M., & Bushra, D. (2025). Pragmatic Analysis of Discourse Markers in Imran Khan’s English Speeches. Linguistic Exploration, 2(2), 41–51. https://doi.org/10.55121/le.v2i2.666

Issue

Vol. 2 No. 2 (December 2025)

Section

Articles

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Copyright (c) 2025 Tayyiba Naz, Abdul Malik Abbasi, Dua Bushra

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