Abstract

Hedge is an important language phenomenon. Under the guidance of  Relevance Theory which regards communication as an ostensive-inferential process, this thesis analyzes hedges in some Davos speeches from lexical and syntactic levels to find the hidden purposes of the hedges. In the delivery of the speeches the speakers can use various hedges as ostension and the audiences can make inferences with the help of these hedges. The exploration in this thesis can be helpful in better understanding economic information and application of hedges in economic discourses.

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Key words: hedges; Relevance Theory; World Economic Forum Speeches; ostensive-inferential process

Contents

Abstract

摘要

1 Introduction-1

2 Literature Review-1

2.1 Fuzziness-2

2.2 Hedges-2

2.3 Relevance Theory-4

2.4 The Relevant Studies-5

3 English Hedges in World Economic Forum Speeches-6

3.1 Hedges at Lexical Level-6

3.1.1 Approximator-6

3.1.2 Shields-8

3.2 Hedges at Syntactic Level-10

3.2.1 Conditional Sentences-10

3.2.2 Rhetorical Questions-10

3.2.3 Sentence Negation-11

4 An Analysis of English Hedges in Davos Speeches under Relevance Theory-11

4.1 Speaker’s Ostension Process-12

4.2 Hearer’s Inferential Process-13

5Conclusion-15

References-17