Metafunctions Of Hedges In The English Scientific Writing

Precision and accuracy are the two overwhelming features of the English scientific writing. However, hedges are abundant in it. They help to raise effectiveness of expressions instead of reducing accuracy in the scientific writing. Since the American linguist Lakoff put forward the concept of hedges in 1972, researchers at home and abroad make a wide analysis of this language phenomenon from different perspectives, but there is still room for the studies of its functions in the English scientific writing.Systemic-functional Grammar, based on the system and function made great impact on linguistics in the late period of the 20th century, and it has been widely adopted in the analyses of various literary texts. The theory of metafunction, as the core of this system has undergone continuous development, and brings forward three metafunctions — ideational function, interpersonal function and textual function. This paper makes a detailed analysis of the three metafunctions of hedges in the English scientific writing from the perspective of Systemic-functional Grammar. Our research has proved that all the hedges exert two or three metafunctions and indicate the writers' degree of cognition and their attitudes towards readers and texts.This paper also tries to compare the differences between the English-native speakers and the Chinese writers in their habit of using hedges when they write science. The study shows that using hedges appropriately by the Chinese writers is a tough problem demanding constant attention. In teaching the English scientific writing, people's awareness of importance of hedges should be aroused for the purpose of smooth communication with foreigners in written English in their fields.