Epistemic Modality Markers Used as Hedges in Research Articles
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18485/bells.2017.9.2Keywords:
epistemic modality, hedges, academic discourse, English, SerbianAbstract
Research on hedging in research articles has been increasingly carried out in recent decades. This paper investigates the use of epistemic modality markers as hedges in English and Serbian research articles belonging to different disciplines. The results will show the differences in frequency and types of epistemic modality markers between various scientific disciplines, as well as between the abovementioned languages. It is hypothesised that epistemic modality markers are used to make statements less categorical and thus decrease the force of a statement, and protect the author from possible disagreements. The research results might have implications for the teaching of English for Specific Purposes, as well as help non-native researchers when writing their articles in English.
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