Thesis (M.A.)--State University of New York at Binghamton, Department of Anthropology, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references.

Adopting an eclectic analytic perspective of discourse analysis, conversation analysis and functional approaches, this study conducts an in-depth pragmatic analysis and describes the function of three pragmatic particles yani, iSte and Sey in casual, conversational Turkish. All three particles have multiple functions, which are described by reference to occurrences in utterances within three different domains of conversation. While utterance initial occurrences of yani are mainly connective and continuative, the utterance final placement of yani mainly acts as a situating particle with a strongly interactional nature. The utterance medial occurrences are basically &lsquo / self-editing&rsquo / whereby the speaker marks the clarification of a point in his/her prior talk. iSte mainly acts as a frame particle demarcating utterances as containing detailed, highlighted, and reported information as well as connecting distant pieces of utterances. The third particle Sey basically marks the speaker&rsquo / s temporary mental effort of extracting the linguistic information from the memory. In addition to its major role in repair organisation whereby marking its producer&rsquo / s verbal planning and word search, Sey displays caution and discretion and marks politeness when assessing/asserting something about the self or the other.