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【Abstract】Fuzziness of language is one intrinsic feature of natural language. This paper， taking hedges in English news reports as the subject， based on E.F. Prince’s classification criteria， aims to discuss interpersonal functions of hedges. Furthermore， it will give some implications on English language teaching and learning.
【Key words】English news reports； hedges； interpersonal function
I. Definitions and classifications of hedges
Based on Zadeh’s Fuzzy Set Theory， Lakoff introduced the notion of hedges in the early 1960s. In his article A Study of Meaning Criteria and the Logic of Fuzzy Concepts （1972）， he said.“for me， some of the most interesting questions raised by the study of words whose meaning implicitly involves fuzziness-words whose job is to make things fuzzier or less fuzzy. I will refer to such words as ‘hedges’”.
E.F. Prince， J. Frader and C. Bosk classified the hedges into approximators and shields in terms of pragmatic function through in 1982. For further classification， approximators are divided into adaptors and rounders. Shields are sub-classified into plausibility shields and attribution shields.
II. Theoretical framework
According to Halliday’s An Introduction on Functional Grammar， words and phrases that can be used to express modality are listed as follows：
1）Adjuncts of polarity and modality：
a. Polarity ： no， yes.
b. Probability： possibly， perhaps， maybe， certainly.
c. Usuality： usually， sometimes， always， never， ever， seldom， rarely.
d. Willingness： willingly， readily， gladly， certainly， easily
e. Obligation： definitely， absolutely， possibly， at all costs， by all means
2）Adjuncts of temporality：
a. Time： yet， still， already， once， soon， just
b. Typicality：occasionally， generally， regularly， mainly， for the most part
3）Adjuncts of mood：
a. Obviousness： of course， surely， obviously， clearly
b. Intensity： just， simply， merely， only， even， actually， really， in fact
c. Degree： quite， almost， nearly， scarcely， hardly， absolutely， totally， utterly， entirely， completely
III. Interpersonal functions of hedges in English news reports
According to Halliday’s view， interpersonal function is mainly reflected on language system， modality system and tone. Modality system is mainly discussed in this paper. The principal items functioning as mood adjunct include adjunct of polarity and modality， adjuncts of temporarily， and adjunct of mood.
【Key words】English news reports； hedges； interpersonal function
I. Definitions and classifications of hedges
Based on Zadeh’s Fuzzy Set Theory， Lakoff introduced the notion of hedges in the early 1960s. In his article A Study of Meaning Criteria and the Logic of Fuzzy Concepts （1972）， he said.“for me， some of the most interesting questions raised by the study of words whose meaning implicitly involves fuzziness-words whose job is to make things fuzzier or less fuzzy. I will refer to such words as ‘hedges’”.
E.F. Prince， J. Frader and C. Bosk classified the hedges into approximators and shields in terms of pragmatic function through in 1982. For further classification， approximators are divided into adaptors and rounders. Shields are sub-classified into plausibility shields and attribution shields.
II. Theoretical framework
According to Halliday’s An Introduction on Functional Grammar， words and phrases that can be used to express modality are listed as follows：
1）Adjuncts of polarity and modality：
a. Polarity ： no， yes.
b. Probability： possibly， perhaps， maybe， certainly.
c. Usuality： usually， sometimes， always， never， ever， seldom， rarely.
d. Willingness： willingly， readily， gladly， certainly， easily
e. Obligation： definitely， absolutely， possibly， at all costs， by all means
2）Adjuncts of temporality：
a. Time： yet， still， already， once， soon， just
b. Typicality：occasionally， generally， regularly， mainly， for the most part
3）Adjuncts of mood：
a. Obviousness： of course， surely， obviously， clearly
b. Intensity： just， simply， merely， only， even， actually， really， in fact
c. Degree： quite， almost， nearly， scarcely， hardly， absolutely， totally， utterly， entirely， completely
III. Interpersonal functions of hedges in English news reports
According to Halliday’s view， interpersonal function is mainly reflected on language system， modality system and tone. Modality system is mainly discussed in this paper. The principal items functioning as mood adjunct include adjunct of polarity and modality， adjuncts of temporarily， and adjunct of mood.