The English Contrastive Discourse Marker instead

This paper examines the English Contrastive Discourse Marker instead as it occurs both in written and spoken discourse. I conclude that there are two primary uses for instead: a “pseudo-action” use, where instead signals a contrast between a non-occurring action and an occurring action; and an “actual-action” use, where it signals a contrast between two occurring actions. I then discuss the semantic restrictions on the discourse segments contrasted with each of these two uses and find them mutually exclusive. Finally, I look at instead in combination with and, but, and so.