A Study Of Pragmatic Identity Construction In Michelle Obama's Speeches In Light Of Modality System

Along with the discoursive turn in identity research,the understanding of identity has experienced a transition from the concept of identity essence to the concept of identity construction.Pragmatic Identity Theory(2018;2019)was put forward by Professor Chen Xinren on the basis of the concept of identity construction.He holds that pragmatic identity is the embodiment of social identity in a certain context,and it is one of the pragmatic strategies that speakers can use for achieving communicative purposes(Chen,2013: 27).In recent years,most of the research on pragmatic identity construction has focused on the field of conversational discourse and literary works,but the relevant research on the speaker is rare.Michelle Obama,as the wife of the 44 th President of the United States,delivered campaign speeches,campus speeches and speeches about a particular topic in that capacity.She encourages people,promotes ideas and wins people's trust during speeches(Clark,2016).Currently,most of the studies of her speeches fall within the fields of Sociolinguistics and Functional Stylistics,but the studies from the perspective of modality system have not been raised concern by the scholars.The interpersonal function is one of the three metafunctions of language,which reflects the interaction between the speaker and the recipients of the utterance.Modality is an important part of interpersonal function.It demonstrates language users' estimation and certainty of the propositions and proposals(Halliday & Matthiessen,2004: 147).The interaction of interpersonal meaning can explain the dynamics of pragmatic identity semantically,and modality can embody the interactivity and dynamics in an even better fashion.In view of this,this study intends to explore how Michelle constructs pragmatic identities through modal expressions in public speeches from the perspective of the modality system.The study analyzes Michelle's pragmatic identities by taking eight speeches during her tenure as the data and UAM Corpus Tool as the research instrument.The study finds out that Michelle takes advantage of the language resources that can realize the interpersonal function,namely,finite modal operators,modal adjuncts,and modal metaphors,and constructs different pragmatic identities.Firstly,the gender-related pragmatic identity is mainly realized by median-value finite modal operators and the manifestations are a loving mother and a virtuous wife.Secondly,the duty-related pragmatic identity is mainly achieved by the subjective explicits of modal metaphor and the pragmatic identities are a wise assertor and a passionate advisor.Thirdly,the scene-related pragmatic identity is primarily realized by mood adjuncts and the pragmatic identities are a preeminent speaker and a close friend.In addition,First Lady's pragmatic identity construction is conducive to achieving three communicative goals – highlighting the role of the President,propagating First Lady's social responsibilities,and establishing self-image.This study analyzes First Lady's speeches from the perspective of the modality system.It demonstrates the constructive function of modal expressions when constructing pragmatic identities and broadens the method and scope of the study of Pragmatic Identity Theory.Meanwhile,the analysis on the modality system is helpful for public speech and English writing practices and people's in-depth understanding of the modal expressions can be deepened.