Análisis de las funciones de los marcadores discursivos en las conversaciones de estudiantes italianos de ELE

The present essay shows the results of the analysis of the functions of the discourse markers in the conversations of three groups of native Italian students of Spanish according to three levels of competence.
Following the theoretical and methodical postulates of the Conversation Analysis and adopting the classification of the functions of the markers suggested by López and Borrego (2010), it has been carried out a descriptive analysis of the discursive functions fulfilled by the markers used by 18 apprentices in nine dyadic spontaneous conversations (three of A1/A2 level, three of B1 level and three of C1 level).
The results obtained have allowed, first, to determine the characteristic conversational styles of the interlanguage of the native Italian speakers as far as regards the use of connectors and, secondly, to evidence the process of acquisition of the markers as their level of knowledge of the Spanish language grows. As well, the data resulted of this essay constitutes a departure point for the creation of didactic materials that can have as an objective to improve the conversational competence regarding the use of the markers in Spanish.