| Fuzziness is a natural feature of language. As a part of fuzzy language, hedges exist prevalently in all kinds of language. Therefore, research on hedges has been carried out from different aspects by a lot of scholars. The term hedge was introduced and analyzed first by G. Lakoff in 1972. Linguists such as Fraser, Brown & Levinson, Hübler, Rosch, etc. analyzed hedges from different aspects. Scholars in our country also did some research on functions of hedges since 1980s. In recent years, a great deal of progress has been made in analyzing the application of hedges in language of different styles.As a type of mass media, news has an important position in people's daily life and has received much attention from people of all walks. It is the report on events or a kind of situation and is also the presentation of events happening recently. News not only provides people with all kinds of latest information about the society, economy, science and technology, etc, but also presents comments on recent events. Therefore, as a language used in news, news English is basically required to be accurate, brief and objective. Yet, it allows hedges to exist in it. Through using the Co-operative Principle and Politeness Principle, the author analyzed the pragmatic functions of hedges in news discourse. That is, hedges'violating of one maxim is just in order to obey another maxim and the use of hedges can avoid absoluteness and lessen the reporter's responsibility. At the same time, hedges can minimize or fend off readers'criticism on mistakes made by the reporter, which saves the reporter's face, and they make news more objective so that readers will not be prejudiced by statements in news. In news English, hedges can enhance the efficiency and flexibility of expression, improve the objectivity and reliability of news and protect the privacy of people concerned in relevant events. After analyzing, the author found that hedges can achieve the pragmatic functions of increasing the truthfulness and objectivity of news, protecting reporter and reader, and being polite.In summary, news not only permits the existence of hedges but also employs them to reflect the truthfulness, reliability, and objectivity. Having an all-around and deep exploration of hedges in news will not only promote the research of pragmatics, but also benefit the teaching and learning of college English writing.
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