Pragmatic Functions of Hedges in Obama’s Second Inauguration Speech

摘要

模糊限制语即那些使意义或概念变得模糊的词或短语。它常出现在政治演讲中，是政治演讲不可或缺的部分。本文基于语用理论，分析奥巴马总统第二次就职演讲中的模糊限制语，并探讨其在政治演讲中的功能。

本文包括了四个部分。第一部分介绍了模糊限制语的定义及分类，并回顾了国内外发展状况。第二部分介绍了本文的理论框架，主要包括语用学中的合作原则，礼貌原则等。第三部分运用相关语用理论，分析奥巴马就职演讲中的模糊语现象。最后一部分探讨模糊限制语在奥巴马第二次就职演讲中的语用功能。根据以上研究，我们可以得出如下结论：模糊限制语能使奥巴马的演讲更加灵活、客观，帮助他避免责任以及避开来自听众或对手的批评，获得自我保护，并且为听众描绘了美好的未来前景。

通过阅读本文，作者希望读者更好了解政治演讲的深层含义，学会在跨文化交际环境中恰当地使用模糊限制语，从而进一步提高其跨文化交际能力。

关键词：模糊限制语；就职演讲；语用原则；语用

Abstract

Hedges are the words that make expressions fuzzy and vague. They are common and indispensable parts in political speeches. This thesis, basing on some pragmatic framework, studies hedges in president Obama’s second inauguration address to explore the functions of hedges in political speeches.

This thesis consists of four parts. The first part introduces the definition and classification of hedges and reviews its development at home and abroad. The second part focuses on the theoretical framework including the cooperative principle, the politeness principle and so on. The third part analyzes the hedges in Obama’s second inauguration speech under the guidance of the theoretical framework. The final part explores the pragmatic functions of hedges in the speech. Based on the above research, we can draw the conclusion that the hedges make Obama’s expression more flexible and objective and help him avoid responsibilities and criticism from audience and opponents, helping to seek protection and building a bright future for his audience. 

Through reading the thesis, the author hopes readers could understand political speeches much better and learn to use hedges appropriately in cross-cultural communicative circumstance and furthermore enhance their cross-cultural communication skills.

Key words: hedges; inauguration speech; pragmatic principle; pragmatic functions.