L’évolution du marqueur de reformulation bref / brief du XIVe au XVIe siècle

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to present the results of a semantic and pragmatic analysis carried out on the evolution of the discourse marker bref from the 14th to the 16th centuries. One of its main functions during these centuries is to demonstrate the intention of the speaker: to retake a previous discursive fragment so as to synthetise it. The other pragmatic values of this connector, either as an adjective or as an adverb, associated with time or duration, progressively disappear during the 15th century. At the end of the 16th century bref is merely a discourse marker.