On The Interpersonal Meaning Of Chinese Modal Adjuncts In Doctor-patient Conversations

As an indispensable part of medical practice, doctor-patient conversation is drawing more and more attention in the field of sociology, psychology and linguistics. Little attention, however, has been paid to the interpersonal aspect of the conversation between doctors and patients, which is regarded as one of the most complex interpersonal relationships. Being so important and its particularity, doctor-patient conversation deserves more studies, especially for the interpersonal functions delivered.By combining functional grammar with research related, this thesis explores the following questions:(1) What interpersonal functions do Chinese modal adjuncts have in doctor-patient conversations? (2) How are the interpersonal meanings of Chinese modal adjuncts realized in conversations through mood and modality?Based on the perspective from interpersonal function of systemic functional linguistics, this thesis discusses the interpersonal meaning of modal adjuncts in doctor-patient conversation and the feasibility that systemic functional linguistics to the research of Chinese grammar. After a detailed qualitative analysis of the data, we obtain the following findings:(1) According to the analysis above, it can be concluded that the main functions of Chinese modal adjuncts are realized through assertoric force. interrogative and imperative mood. (2) The six typical modal particles possess different interpersonal functions and meanings in doctor-patient conversations. With interpersonal meaning in median value, "ba"(吧)expresses the uncertainty which makes itself can be used in imperative and interrogative sentence. It gradually functionalized as one of the symbols of the imperative sentence for its courtesy and its conferential tone providing the speaker more space to discuss with the listener, "ne"(呢)owns the subjective modality with low value which makes it functionalized into one sign of non-yes/no questions. The emotion highlight function of "a"(啊)is bound to be reflected in the exclamatory sentences, "ma"(嘛)in assertoric sentence has the subjective assurance function, manifests in suggestion sentence, it possesses the functions of mood softening with capricious and coquetry tone. Among the six typical modal adjuncts, only "ma"(吗)in interrogative sentence possesses the verbal function of demanding information, and its interpersonal meaning with high value mainly lies in interrogative mood. (3) Chinese modal adverbs and other modal adjuncts mainly through its modal system to realize the function of demanding information strengthen or weaken the tone.The thesis falls into five parts. Chapter One makes a general introduction to the study, covering research background, purpose and significance, as well as research methodology. Chapter Two reviews previous studies of doctor-patient communication, modal adjuncts and Chinese modal adjuncts, and then puts forward research questions. Chapter Three provides the theoretical foundation of the study. Chapter Four, the main body of the thesis, conducts a close and comprehensive analysis of the interpersonal meaning of Chinese modal adjuncts in doctor-patient conversations. Finally, Chapter Five provides with the major findings, implications, limitations and prospects of the study.