As Schiffrin(2001/2004)pointed out,discourse markers are one set of linguistic items that function in cognitive,expressive,social and textual domains. This paper discusses adversative discourse markers,which have interpersonal and response-like functions. From the core function 'adversative,'an interpersonal function can be derived. When this function is foregrounded,discourse markers are often used as a politeness marker. The propositional and logical adversative function can be developed into an attitudinal or emotional adversative function,which I call a response-like function.