DOI: 10.5176/2251-3566_L315.23
Authors: Xin Chen, Xiaofang Gao and Zhiming Song
Abstract:
Though a small part of a sentence, hedges, as a linguistic device widely used by people, can help generate quite impressive pragmatic power on the interlocutors. Based on the Politeness Principle and face theory, this article tries to analyze the pragmatic functions of hedges in postgame interviews (12 transcripts in form collected from related official websites). When a game is over, interviews seem to be unavoidable. In postgame interviews, players are often invited to spell out their opinions to lots of issues, some of which would be highly sensitive, for example, making comments on their opponents. When these moments come, it is noticed that most players try to sound decent and polite, that is, they use hedges to alter the force of utterances and cast a positive tone to achieve some pragmatic effects. Based on data analysis, four pragmatic functions of hedges are found in such interviews: appearing modest, showing generosity, self-protection and avoidance of threatening others’ face. This study not only once again verifies the important role hedges play in spoken discourse but also helps usher in a new research scope of value on studies of hedges.
Keywords: hedges; postgame interviews; pragmatic function; politeness principle; face theory
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