Abstract
The discourse marker (henceforth DM) so is considered to guide hearers to interpret the following utterances (or sentences) as the results of what has already been stated (Schiffrin 1987; Blakemore 1987 and 1988 etc.). In conversation, the DM so is also used for several other purposes, such as opening or closing conversations, changing or developing topics and summarizing the prior discourse. It seems, however, difficult for most English learners to fully understand these usages of the DM so and acquire the ability to use it appropriately. This paper studies the multi-functionality of the DM so in the framework of cognitive pragmatics, and by modeling the usages of the DM so, it shows why these several usages are born in conversation and how they are related to each other.
https://ror.org/0418a3v02 
