Epistemic modality in TED talks on education
This paper aims to investigate the epistemic markers in TED talks. The data for the study is 100 TED talks on education. The mixed method of both the quantitative and qualitative approaches was manipulated to capture the use of the linguistic means to convey epistemic modality in terms of degrees...
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| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
H. : ĐHQGHN
2019
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://repository.vnu.edu.vn/handle/VNU_123/67208 https://doi.org/10.25073/2525-2445/vnufs.4396 |
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| Institution: | Vietnam National University, Hanoi |
| Language: | English |
| Summary: | This paper aims to investigate the epistemic markers in TED talks. The data for the study
is 100 TED talks on education. The mixed method of both the quantitative and qualitative approaches was
manipulated to capture the use of the linguistic means to convey epistemic modality in terms of degrees
of certainty and range of devices. The fndings indicate that epistemic modality is pervasive in this genre,
with approximately one-tenth of the sentences in the data being epistemically modalized by TED speakers
via a range of linguistic means of different types and epistemic strength. The analysis unveils a clear
tendency to select the middle level of commitment and make use of epistemic modal auxiliaries to frame
their statements with personal attitudes and opinions. The examination of epistemic devices in the data also
suggests speakers’ preference to use epistemic adverbials to realize certainty and employ epistemic modals
to denote probability and possibility. The study yields pedagogical implications for developing an effcient
use of epistemic modality in oral presentation of academic discourse. |
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