The pragmatic functions of Hedges in academic writing
More and more linguists and researchers in Second Language Acquisition are becoming interested in hedges in academic writing. Starting from its definition and linguistic realization, the present paper focuses on the pragmatic functions of hedges in academic writing. The previous study of the various functions of hedges mainly came from the following three perspectives: its effect on the proposition itself; its effect on the relationship between the writer and the proposition; its effect on the relationship between the writer and the audience or the readers. On the basis of studying the previous findings, the author points out that hedges have two sides: weakening and strengthening, the latter being neglected in previous studies, which shouldn't have been.
108 pages. A thesis presented to the Department of Geography and the Clark Honors College of the University of Oregon in partial fulfillment of the requirements for degree of Bachelor of Arts, Fall 2016