Hedges Classification And Its Pragmatic Function

As a part of fuzzy language, hedges are common in human language and play an important role in communication. This paper attempts to explore the pragmatic functions of hedges in order to make good use of them in language teaching and communication.In this paper, the author first gives a brief introduction to the general development of the fuzzy linguistics in the world and points out some problems in China's fuzzy linguistic research. In recent years, great success has been achieved in domestic study of fuzzy linguistics since 1979, however, much of research is restricted to the fuzzy semantics and lacks of the study in fuzzy language application, including hedges. The researchers haven't given the hedges a penetrating and systematic study though they have realized the important role that hedges play in daily life communication. Meanwhile, its particularity and significance in discourse haven't been fully attached importance to. As we can see, quite a few people failed to use hedges so that the unexpected results occurred frequently. What's more, the misuses of hedges might destroy the effect of language and influence the purpose of communication.As can be seen from chapter two, the author then redefines the concepts of the fuzzy and the hedge, distinguishes several concepts confused easily and analyzes their relationship. Some enlightenment can be obtained by the means of retrospect and summarizing predecessor's research in the classification and pragmatic functions of hedges, namely, semantic and pragmatic study cannot be separated in this paper. Careful classification is helpful to reveal the pragmatic functions.The paper expounds pragmatic functions of hedges with numerous examples. By comparison between the sentences with hedges and without them, it shows that hedges contain their special pragmatic functions that shouldn't be ignored and the study on it bears tremendous pragmatic significance.From the author's point of view, hedges can be divided into two types: Approximator which can change the truth condition of a proposition and convey the meaning appropriately, Shield which can make the speech more tactful and express indeterminable.