When producing a text, the writer or speaker seeks to establish a relationship with the reader or listener. This is achieved through discourse markers, categorized into two main groups: interactive and interactional metadiscourse markers. A key interactional marker is engagement markers, which aim to build direct rapport with the reader. Engagement markers are also found in narrative texts, where the narrator directly addresses the listener to involve them in the story or strengthen the narrative. While metadiscourse is mainly examined in academic discourse, this study explores its presence in the Dede Korkut Stories. Using Hyland’s (2005) model, instances are classified according to their context and function. The identified engagement features include personal references, reader pronouns, direct addresses, and shared cultural expressions, rhetorical questions, and directives establishing shared observations and expectations. These features highlight the narrator–listener relationship and reflect the oral tradition of the text.
Dede Korkut Stories, discourse, metadiscourse, engagement markers.