Synopsis
Fuzziness is a natural feature of language.As a part of fuzzy language,
hedges exist preva lently in all kinds of language.Therefore,research on
hedges has been carried out from different aspects by a lot of scholars.The
term hedge was introduced and analyzed first by G.Lakoff in 1972.Linguists
such as Fraser,Brown&Levinson,Hübler,Rosch,etc.analyzed hedges from
different aspects.Scholars in our country also did some research on functions
of hedges since 1980s.In recent years,a great deal of progress has been made
in analyzing the application of hedges in language of different styles.
As a type of mass media,news has an important position in people’s daily
life and has received much attention from people of all walks.It is the report
on events or a kind of situation and is also the presentation of events
happening recently.News not only provides people with all kinds of latest
information about the society,economy,science and technology,etc,but also
presents comments on recent events.Therefore,as a language used in news,
news English is basically required to be accurate,brief and objective.Yet,it
allows hedges to exist in it.Through using the Co-operative Principle and
Politeness Principle,the author analyzed the pragmatic functions of hedges in
news discourse.That is,hedges’violating of one maxim is just in order to
obey another maxim and the use of hedges can avoid absoluteness and lessen
the reporter’s responsibility.At the same time,hedges can minimize or fend
off readers’criticism on mistakes made by the reporter,which saves the
reporter’s face,and they make news more objective so that readers will not be
prejudiced by statements in news.In news English,hedges can enhance the
efficiency and flexibility of expression,improve the objectivity and reliability
of news and protect the privacy of people concerned in relevant events.After
analyzing,the author found that hedges can achieve the pragmatic functions ofincreasing the truthfulness and objectivity of news,protecting reporter and
reader,and being polite.
In summary,news not only permits the existence of hedges but also
employs them to reflect the truthfulness,reliability,and objectivity.Having an
all-around and deep exploration of hedges in news will not only promote the
research of pragmatics,but also benefit the teaching and learning of college
English writing.
Key words:news discourse;hedges;pragmatic function;cooperative principle;
politeness principle.i
Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................1
CHAPTER ONE LITERATURE REVIEW..............................................7
1.1 OVERVIEW OF ENGLISH NEWS..................................................................7
1.1.1 Definition and Classification of News..............................................7
1.1.2 Linguistic Features of English News................................................9
1.2 HEDGES..................................................................................................10
1.2.1 Vagueness of Language..................................................................10
1.2.2 Zadeh’s Theory of Fuzzy Sets........................................................12
1.2.3 Lakoff’s Study of Hedges...............................................................15
1.3 CO-OPERATIVE PRINCIPLE AND POLITENESS PRINCIPLE..........................21
1.3.1 Co-operative Principle....................................................................21
1.3.2 Politeness Principle.........................................................................22
CHAPTER TWO PRAGMATIC FUNCTIONS OF HEDGES IN
ENGLISH NEWS DISCOURSE..................................................................26
2.1 HEDGES AND CO-OPERATIVE PRINCIPLE.................................................26
2.1.1 Quality Hedges...............................................................................26
2.1.2 Quantity Hedges.............................................................................29
2.1.3 Relevance Hedges...........................................................................31
2.1.4 Manner Hedges...............................................................................32
2.2 HEDGES AND POLITENESS PRINCIPLE.....................................................34
2.2.1 Hedges and Reporters’Face...........................................................352.2.2 Hedges and Readers’Face..............................................................38
CHAPTER THREE IMPLICATIONS OF THE HEDGES STUDY FOR
COLLEGE ENGLISH WRITING...............................................................42
3.1 METHOD.................................................................................................42
3.2 DATA COLLECTION......................