Difference between revisions of "Hedges"
(Created page with "==Hedges or “softeners”== Here are a few words and phrases which are used to soften, qualify, “hedge” or mitigate statements, for the sake of politeness, or to simpl...") |
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These soften statements by toning down the forcefulness of the truth value of statements. | These soften statements by toning down the forcefulness of the truth value of statements. | ||
| − | {| | + | {| style="margin-left:20px;" |
|- | |- | ||
| − | | | + | | <div style="column-count:3;-moz-column-count:3;-webkit-column-count:3;> basically <br> |
| − | <div style="column-count:3;-moz-column-count:3;-webkit-column-count:3; | + | according to <br> |
| − | basically | + | actually <br> |
| − | according to | + | apparent(ly) <br> |
| − | actually | + | approximate(ly) <br> |
| − | apparent(ly) | + | broad(ly) <br> |
| − | approximate(ly) | + | clear(ly) <br> |
| − | broad(ly) | + | comparative(ly) <br> |
| − | clear(ly) | + | essential(ly), in essence <br> |
| − | comparative(ly) | + | hypothetically <br> |
| − | essential(ly), in essence | + | indeed <br> |
| − | hypothetically | + | likely <br> |
| − | indeed | + | most (+adjective) <br> |
| − | likely | + | normal(ly) <br> |
| − | most (+adjective) | + | potential(ly) <br> |
| − | normal(ly) | + | presumably <br> |
| − | potential(ly) | + | probable, probably <br> |
| − | presumably | + | rare(ly) <br> |
| − | probable, probably | + | really <br> |
| − | rare(ly) | + | relative(ly) <br> |
| − | really | + | roughly <br> |
| − | relative(ly) | + | somehow <br> |
| − | roughly | + | somewhat <br> |
| − | somehow | + | theoretically <br> |
| − | somewhat | + | the very +-most (adj.) <br> |
| − | theoretically | + | virtually |
| − | the very +-most (adj.) | ||
| − | virtually | ||
</div> | </div> | ||
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These are longer expressions that act like epistemic hedges. | These are longer expressions that act like epistemic hedges. | ||
| − | <div style="column-count:3;-moz-column-count:3;-webkit-column-count:3; | + | {| style="margin-left:20px;" |
| − | as it were | + | |- |
| − | so to say | + | | <div style="column-count:3;-moz-column-count:3;-webkit-column-count:3;> as it were <br> |
| − | so to speak | + | so to say <br> |
| − | (at) about | + | so to speak <br> |
| − | if you know what I mean | + | (at) about <br> |
| − | in a way | + | if you know what I mean <br> |
| − | kind of | + | in a way <br> |
| − | might as well be | + | kind of <br> |
| − | more of a ___ | + | might as well be <br> |
| − | more or less | + | more of a ___ <br> |
| − | most | + | more or less <br> |
| − | something like | + | most <br> |
| − | sort of | + | something like <br> |
| − | more of a... | + | sort of <br> |
| − | sort of | + | more of a... <br> |
| − | kind of | + | sort of <br> |
| − | can be looked at | + | kind of <br> |
| − | can be viewed as | + | can be looked at <br> |
| − | strictly speaking | + | can be viewed as <br> |
| − | in one sense | + | strictly speaking <br> |
| − | in some sense | + | in one sense <br> |
| − | in a real sense | + | in some sense <br> |
| − | would like to | + | in a real sense <br> |
| − | details aside | + | would like to <br> |
| − | I wouldn’t | + | details aside <br> |
| + | I wouldn’t <br> | ||
if not... | if not... | ||
</div> | </div> | ||
| + | |} | ||
===Possibility hedges === | ===Possibility hedges === | ||
| − | <div style="column-count:3;-moz-column-count:3;-webkit-column-count:3; | + | {| style="margin-left:20px;" |
| − | by (some/any) chance | + | |- |
| − | hopefully | + | | <div style="column-count:3;-moz-column-count:3;-webkit-column-count:3;> by (some/any) chance <br> |
| − | maybe | + | hopefully <br> |
| − | perhaps | + | maybe <br> |
| − | possible, possibly | + | perhaps <br> |
| − | in case (of) | + | possible, possibly <br> |
| − | could | + | in case (of) <br> |
| − | can | + | could <br> |
| − | may | + | can <br> |
| − | might | + | may <br> |
| − | if you catch / get / understand my meaning / drift | + | might <br> |
| − | if you know what I mean (to say) | + | if you catch / get / understand my meaning / drift <br> |
| − | if you/we know/understand (what it/that means) | + | if you know what I mean (to say) <br> |
| + | if you/we know/understand (what it/that means) | ||
</div> | </div> | ||
| + | |} | ||
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These expressions hedge the speaker’s commitment to the truth value of statements (truth quality), one’s certainty of statements, or the directness of such statements. | These expressions hedge the speaker’s commitment to the truth value of statements (truth quality), one’s certainty of statements, or the directness of such statements. | ||
| − | <div style="column-count:3;-moz-column-count:3;-webkit-column-count:3; | + | {| style="margin-left:20px;" |
| − | (as) we all know | + | |- |
| − | as far as we/I know | + | | <div style="column-count:3;-moz-column-count:3;-webkit-column-count:3;> (as) we all know <br> |
| − | as is (well) known | + | as far as we/I know <br> |
| − | as you/everyone/the reader know(s) | + | as is (well) known <br> |
| − | as the saying goes | + | as you/everyone/the reader know(s) <br> |
| − | (as) everyone/people/people/they say(s) | + | as the saying goes <br> |
| − | from what I hear/know/see/understand | + | (as) everyone/people/people/they say(s) <br> |
| − | in a sense | + | from what I hear/know/see/understand <br> |
| − | one/you they say(s)/tell(s) it | + | in a sense <br> |
| − | for all intents and purposes | + | one/you they say(s)/tell(s) it <br> |
| − | for all practical purposes | + | for all intents and purposes <br> |
| − | one might say that | + | for all practical purposes <br> |
| − | let us say that | + | one might say that <br> |
| − | in a manner of speaking | + | let us say that <br> |
| − | don’t you think | + | in a manner of speaking <br> |
| − | wouldn’t you say | + | don’t you think <br> |
| − | as far as I/we know | + | wouldn’t you say <br> |
| − | as you know | + | as far as I/we know <br> |
| − | I / we understand that | + | as you know <br> |
| − | so-called | + | I / we understand that <br> |
| − | -like, -esque, -ish | + | so-called <br> |
| − | quasi- | + | -like, -esque, -ish <br> |
| − | practically | + | quasi- <br> |
| − | in name only | + | practically <br> |
| + | in name only <br> | ||
like | like | ||
</div> | </div> | ||
| + | |} | ||
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For example: | For example: | ||
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Certain verbs themselves perform the action they refer to. For example, consider the verb ‘declare’ in “I declare that X is true.” In such statements, the verb itself performs the action of declaring, and linguists refer to such verbs as performatives. In a lecture, one can begin a discussion by saying, “I’d like to discuss X,” and one can indicate that X is only one’s opinion by stating, “I think / believe that...” | Certain verbs themselves perform the action they refer to. For example, consider the verb ‘declare’ in “I declare that X is true.” In such statements, the verb itself performs the action of declaring, and linguists refer to such verbs as performatives. In a lecture, one can begin a discussion by saying, “I’d like to discuss X,” and one can indicate that X is only one’s opinion by stating, “I think / believe that...” | ||
| − | <div style=" | + | {| style="margin-left:20px;" |
| − | (would) like to/want to/can/may + verb (e.g., ask, comment, discuss, explain, mention, note, point out, remark, say, state, tell) | + | |- |
| − | I/we/one/people/the reader/they + (perhaps/like/mostly/sometimes + verb | + | | <div style="column-count:3;-moz-column-count:3;-webkit-column-count:3;> (would) like to/want to/can/may + verb (e.g., ask, comment, discuss, explain, mention, note, point out, remark, say, state, tell) <br> |
| − | don’t think / believe (so) | + | I/we/one/people/the reader/they + (perhaps/like/mostly/sometimes + verb <br> |
| − | I believe / think / thought | + | don’t think / believe (so) <br> |
| + | I believe / think / thought <br> | ||
I’m just saying... | I’m just saying... | ||
</div> | </div> | ||
| + | |} | ||
| + | |||
A relatively new expression in colloquial English is “I’m just saying,” which is added as an afterthought to distance oneself from the preceding statement; it is like saying, “that’s just an observation” or “I’m just stating that as a possibility.” | A relatively new expression in colloquial English is “I’m just saying,” which is added as an afterthought to distance oneself from the preceding statement; it is like saying, “that’s just an observation” or “I’m just stating that as a possibility.” | ||
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===Other expressions=== | ===Other expressions=== | ||
| − | <div style="column-count: | + | {| style="margin-left:20px;" |
| − | at least | + | |- |
| − | that is | + | | <div style="column-count:2;-moz-column-count:2;-webkit-column-count:2;> at least |
| − | i.e., | + | |
| − | should have | + | that is <br> |
| + | i.e., <br> | ||
| + | should have <br> | ||
ought to | ought to | ||
</div> | </div> | ||
| + | |} | ||
Other hedges include the colloquial phrases ‘like’ and ‘it’s like,’ which are discussed in the section on [[discourse particles]]. | Other hedges include the colloquial phrases ‘like’ and ‘it’s like,’ which are discussed in the section on [[discourse particles]]. | ||
| + | |||
==See also== | ==See also== | ||
Latest revision as of 06:52, 1 November 2019
Contents
1 Hedges or “softeners”
Here are a few words and phrases which are used to soften, qualify, “hedge” or mitigate statements, for the sake of politeness, or to simply soften a statement. The following classifies hedges into abstract pragmatic linguistic categories; this list is only a partial list.[1]
1.1 Epistemic hedges
These soften statements by toning down the forcefulness of the truth value of statements.
basically
according to |
1.2 Phrasal hedges
These are longer expressions that act like epistemic hedges.
as it were
so to say |
1.3 Possibility hedges
by (some/any) chance
hopefully |
1.4 Quality hedges
These expressions hedge the speaker’s commitment to the truth value of statements (truth quality), one’s certainty of statements, or the directness of such statements.
(as) we all know
as far as we/I know |
For example:
- That’s rather Clinton-like.
- That's rather Obama-esque.
- That’s more of a quasi-theory, if not a bad theory altogether.
- The color is kind of navy-ish.
1.5 Performative verb hedges
Certain verbs themselves perform the action they refer to. For example, consider the verb ‘declare’ in “I declare that X is true.” In such statements, the verb itself performs the action of declaring, and linguists refer to such verbs as performatives. In a lecture, one can begin a discussion by saying, “I’d like to discuss X,” and one can indicate that X is only one’s opinion by stating, “I think / believe that...”
(would) like to/want to/can/may + verb (e.g., ask, comment, discuss, explain, mention, note, point out, remark, say, state, tell)
I/we/one/people/the reader/they + (perhaps/like/mostly/sometimes + verb |
A relatively new expression in colloquial English is “I’m just saying,” which is added as an afterthought to distance oneself from the preceding statement; it is like saying, “that’s just an observation” or “I’m just stating that as a possibility.”
- I think the teacher looks cute. …. Hey, I’m just saying.
1.6 Other expressions
at least
that is |
Other hedges include the colloquial phrases ‘like’ and ‘it’s like,’ which are discussed in the section on discourse particles.
2 See also
2.1 References
- ↑ Some of these are from http://www.umich.edu/~jlawler/lakoffhedgesCLS8.pdf. A hedge is a protective shrub around one’s property. Analogously, linguistic hedges serve to protect the speaker’s and listeners’ sense of “face” (體面, tǐmiàn, 체면) by softening the forcefulness of a statement.
