A Study On Persuasive Functions Of Metadiscourse In Public Persuasive Speech

Metadiscourse is an important concept in discourse analysis,which has been investigated in various genres of written discourse.Recently,increasing studies have begun to focus on metadiscourse in spoken discourse.However,little effort has been devoted to the analysis of the persuasive functions of metadiscourse in public speech.Drawing on Hyland's interpersonal model of metadiscourse as the categorization system for identifying metadiscourse and Aristotle's rhetorical persuasion theory as the framework for persuasive function analysis,this research adopts TED talks on climate change as the materials of case study,aiming to reveal the persuasive functions of metadiscourse in public persuasive speech.22 talks on climate change are collected from TED official website to comprise a mini corpus for case study analysis.Results of the study suggest that the use of metadiscourse is very common in public persuasive speech.Interactional metadiscourse is far more frequently used than interactive metadiscourse.Engagement markers,transitions,self mentions,hedges and attitude markers are the most frequently used whereas endophoric markers have a very low presence.Metadiscourse is found to contribute to the realization of three appeals of persuasion.Transitions,frame markers,code glosses,evidentials and the combinations of engagement markers and hedges are used to arrange the discourse in a coherent,intelligible and convincing way,helping to achieve the appeal of logos.Self mentions,engagement markers,boosters,hedges and evidentials are helpful in building a credible and trustworthy image,thus achieving the appeal of ethos.Engagement markers,attitude markers and self mentions assist in achieving pathos.This paper examines the persuasive functions of metadiscourse in public persuasive speech in an attempt to enrich the study of metadiscourse and promote the understanding of public speech from the perspective of persuasive functions of metadiscourse.