Metadiscursive Marker
Pattern
it's worth noting / let me emphasize / as mentioned earlier / to be clear — discourse-about-discourse signal
Definition
A discourse marker that comments on the discourse itself rather than its content — signaling what the speaker is about to do, acknowledging the structure of the argument, or managing the reader's attention.
Examples
Example 1
It's worth noting that this pattern appears across all demographic groups.
"It's worth noting" — the speaker comments on the discourse itself, flagging what follows as important
Example 2
Let me be clear: this is not a temporary measure.
"Let me be clear" — the speaker explicitly signals a shift to direct, unambiguous communication
Example 3
As I mentioned earlier, the funding model needs to be revised.
"As I mentioned earlier" — backward reference within the discourse, creating cohesion while managing the reader's memory
AI Detection Note
One of the strongest AI markers. 'It's worth noting', 'it's important to remember', 'let's not forget' — these metadiscursive phrases are vastly overrepresented in AI text compared to human writing.
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