Chapter one Introduction 3
1.1 Research background 3
1.2 Significance of the research 5
1.3 Motivation for the research 8
1.4 Objectives of the research 13
1.5 Methodology for the research 14
1.6 Organization of the dissertation 16
Chapter Two Literature Review 18
2.1 Introduction 18
2.2 Researches of cognitive pragmatics 18
2.2.1 Researches of cognitive pragmatics abroad 19
2.2.2 Researches of cognitive pragmatics at home 19
2.3 Hedges as pragmatic markers 20
2.4 Research of hedges abroad 22
2.4.1 L.A.Zadeh's research of hedges 23
2.4.2 Lakoff's research of hedges 24
2.4.3 Brown＆Levinson's research of hedges 26
2.4.4 Prince et al.'s research of hedges 27
2.4.5 Hyland's research of hedges 29
2.4.6 Luukka's research of hedges 30
2.5 Researches of hedges at home 32
2.6 Approach for the present study 34
Chapter Three Theoretical Framework of the Research 34
3.1 Introduction 36
3.2 Sperber＆Wilson's Relevance Theory 37
3.2.1 Inference 38
3.2.2 Cognitive environment and mutual manifestness 40
3.2.3 Ostensive-inferential communication 43
3.2.4 Informative intention and communicative intention 45
3.2.5 Principles of relevance 48
3.2.6 Contextual effect and processing effort 51
3.3 Verschueren's metapragmatic awareness 53
3.3.1 Indicators of metapragmatic awareness 54
3.3.2 Metapragmatics and the nature of linguistic action 56
3.4 Theoretical framework for the research of linguistic hedges 58
3.4.1 Relevance theory used for the research 58
3.4.2 Verschueren's theory used for the research 64
3.5 Summary 65
Chapter Four General Design of the Research 65
4.1 Introduction 67
4.2 Research hypotheses 68
4.3 Research questions 69
4.4 Methodology of the research 70
4.5 Model applied 71
4.6 Material selection for the research 73
4.7 Summary 75
Chapter Five An Analysis of Pragmatic Functions from the Relevance Perspective 75
5.1 Introduction 77
5.2 Panorama of linguistic hedges 78
5.2.1 Identification of linguistic hedges 79
5.2.2 Definitions of linguistic hedges and hedging 81
5.2.3 Taxonomy of linguistic hedges 85
5.2.4 Syntactic structure of linguistic hedges 91
5.3 Analysis of the pragmatic functions from the relevance perspective 94
5.3.1 Modification of the truth value of the proposition 95
5.3.2 Improvement of information precision 97
5.3.3 Appropriateness in verbal interactions 100
5.3.4 Protection for the speaker's and hearer's face 101
5.3.5 Interpretation in academic writings 105
5.3.6 Motivation for political and diplomatic situations 107
5.3.7 Preservation of literary styles 108
5.3.8 Remedy for the lack of knowledge 110
5.3.9 Metaphorical expressions 112
5.3.10 Improvement of expressive efficiency 114
5.4 Summary 116
Chapter Six An Analysis of Hedges from Frequencies＆Ratios 116
6.1 Introduction 119
6.2 Analysis of approximators from frequencies＆ratios 121
6.2.1 Analysis of rounders 122
6.2.2 Analysis of adaptors 129
6.3 Analysis of shields from frequencies＆ratios 137
6.3.1 Analysis of plausibility shields 137
6.3.2 Analysis of attribution shields 142
6.4 Summary 148
Chapter Seven A Cognitive-pragmatic Analysis of Hedges 148
7.1 Introduction 150
7.2 General features of linguistic communication 152
7.2.1 Code model 153
7.2.2 Inferential model 155
7.2.3 Ostensive-inferential communication model 157
7.3 Analysis of pragmatic constraints and hedged utterances 159
7.3.1 Pragmatic constraints 159
7.3.2 Utterance production 162
7.3.3 Utterance comprehension 166
7.4 Analysis of relevance features of hedged communication 168
7.4.1 Procedural information of hedges 169
7.4.2 Hedges in ostensive-inferential communication 173
7.4.3 Metapragmatic awareness in hedged communication 176
7.4.4 Relationships between hedges and information structure 182
7.5 Analysis of hedges from cognitive pragmatics 185
7.5.1 Hedges and degrees of relevance 186
7.5.2 Determination of assumptions and hedges 191
7.5.3 Inference from hedged utterances 196
7.5.4 Cognitive context and roles of hedges 199
7.5.5 Influences of hedges over processing efforts 202
7.6 Utterance coherence and hedges 205
7.6.1 Utterance coherence 206
7.6.2 Influences of hedges over utterance coherence 207
7.7 Relevance between hedges and pragmatic principles 212
7.7.1 Conversational implicatures in hedged communication 212
7.7.2 Indirectness 215
7.7.3 Negative politeness 217
7.7.4 Face-threatening acts 220
7.8 Summary 222
Chapter Eight Conclusion 224
8.1 Major findings of the research 224
8.1.1 Findings about the dynamic nature of hedged communication 225
8.1.2 Findings about the use of hedges in verbal communication 228
8.2 Implications of the research 230
8.3 Limitations of the research 232
8.4 Suggestions for future studies 233
Bibliography 236
Appendix Ⅰ：Classification of Common Linguistic Hedges 252
Appendix Ⅱ：Tables for the Frequency of Hedge Application in the Five Genres 255
Appendix Ⅲ：Randomly Chosen Samples for Further Investigation 268