La expansión funcional del marcador español sin embargo y la intersubjetivación

Sin embargo has been studied from various theoretical perspectives, yet its recent expansion in spoken discourse and its occurrence in the initial position of the utterance have not been satisfactorily explained. This study proposes that the framework of intersubjectification offers a more accurate account of this unit, as its evolution reflects a complete progression through this process. Originally, sin embargo meant ‘absence of material barriers or obstacles.’ Subsequently, its meaning became metaphorical, acquiring abstract values such as ‘without hindrance’ or ‘without problems.’ Later, it gained syntactic autonomy as an adverb and evolved into a textual marker with subjective value. Eventually, it became established as an intersubjective marker, frequently used in spoken language and in utterance-initial position, where the speaker considers the interlocutor’s social image, especially in formal or polite contexts. This trajectory demonstrates how pragmatic and social factors drive linguistic change in the use of sin embargo.