FUNCTIONS OF IDIOMS IN TURKISH ARGUMENTATIVE DISCOURSE
TÜRKÇE TARTIŞMA SÖYLEMİNDE DEYİMLERİN İŞLEVLERİ

Author : Gülsüm Songül ERCAN -& Umut YOZGAT
Number of pages : 188-205

Abstract

Idioms are linguistic elements generally consisting of more than one word formed to express a particular situation, a concept and an emotion (Aksan, 2011: 91). In their study on the discursive functions of idioms in Turkish Can and Ercan (2013), basing their study on Koester (2000), found that in TV series they have different functions. Idioms are asserted to be one of the frequent linguistic devices used in argumentative discourse (Koester, 2006: 134). Thus the purpose of our study is to identify their discursive functions in three different political debate programs broadcast on three different TV channels and reveal on which state of argumentative discourse, formed of confrontation, opening, argumentation and concluding stages (van Eemerenand Grootendorst, 2004: 59), idiom use ismore frequent and what discursive function is of higher preference. Within the scope of our study, the significance of idioms has been assessed in Turkish argumentative discourse and we found out that they have different discursive functions as stated in various studies in literature (Drew and Holt, 1998, 2005; Moon, 1998; Simpson, 2004; Handford, 2007 cited by Handfordand Koester, 2010: 41; Koester, 2000, 2006). These functions are; (i) opening up a new topic, (ii) summarizing and closing off a discourse or part of it; (iii) signaling problem-solution patterns; (iv) evaluating and expressing positive/negative judgment; (v) protecting face. Our findings also reveal that idioms are more frequently preferred on the argumentation stage and the topic is of importance in the frequency of idiom use.

Keywords

idiom, discursive functions of idioms, argumentative discourse

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