A Study Of Reporting Verbs: From The Perspectives Of Sociolinguistics And Discourse Analysis

Recently, many linguists have paid much attention to the reported speech, for example, Zhang Shaoyan (1988) has discussed the application of free indirect speech in fictions; Shen Dan (1991) has studied the different utterances of characters in novels; Zhou Dajun (1993) has talked about free indirect speech; Yu Hongliang (1996) has paid attention to the cohesive function of verb tenses in free indirect speech; Xu Jiujiu (1996) has analyzed the direct speech in narrative fictions. However, linguists have seldom involved in the study of reporting verbs. Different reporting verbs can express various potential meanings in different kinds of texts; therefore, it is worth exploring their functions.After presenting literature review and theoretical framework, this thesis introduces the theory of sociolinguistics and discourse analysis as well as all modes of presentation and thought presentation.Within the framework of sociolinguistics and discourse analysis, this thesis explores the functions of reporting verbs in various texts. Quotative function is the basic function of reporting verbs. Besides, the reporter chooses different reporting verbs according to the language context and their attitudes toward the utterances which they have to report. Hence, reporting verbs have another function as discourse function. Especially in news reports, it is very important for the reporter to choose right reporting verbs because of the great influence on the public. On the other hand, different reporting verbs help the readers to catch the real meaning and attitude of the reporter, including that of the government. This thesis also studies the functions of reporting verbs in other type of texts. In addition, some frequently used reporting verbs are discussed in the thesis to figure out their differences and similarities in terms of quotative function and discourse function.Meanwhile, the author finds that the reporting verbs in Chinese classical fiction are very different from the reporting verbs in English novels. Therefore, the author makes a case study to analyze some reporting verbs in Chinese classical fiction"A Dream of Red Mansions".Generally speaking, this thesis tries to analyze the functions of reporting verbs in different type of texts to better help the readers understand the texts deeply and it is also significant for the writers to choose reporting verbs when they quote people's utterances.