The discourse marker well in Korean high school English textbooks under the 2022 Revised National Curriculum

Abstract

This study examines the discourse marker (DM) well in Korean high school Common English I and II textbooks under the 2022 Revised National Curriculum, comparing its use with authentic spoken discourse in the Spoken British National Corpus 2014. Speaking and listening scripts were analyzed for frequency, functional range, and positional distribution. The DM well appeared far less frequently in textbooks, especially in Common English II, with functions largely limited to frame and stance marking. Interpersonal uses, such as face-threat mitigation, were infrequent, and delay marking was absent. Textbooks strongly favored turn-initial use, lacking the positional diversity found in natural spoken discourse. These restrictions may limit learners’ exposure to pragmatic uses of well that support curriculum goals, such as contextually appropriate language use and effective interaction management. Broader functional and positional representation of the DM well in textbooks could better reflect authentic spoken discourse and foster pragmatic competence.