Contextual Adaptability of English Modal Devices 论英语情态手段的语境顺应性（硕士论文）20.pdfVIP

深圳大学硕士学位论文 论英语情态手段的语境顺应性 陈 平 学 科 门 类 文学 专 业 名 称 外国语言学及应用语言学 学院（系、所） 外国语学院 指 导 教 师 刘英凯教授、王家钺博士 分类号 HHO 学校代码 10590 U D C 密 级 公开 Contextual Adaptability of English Modal Devices Abstract Modality has long been the interest of researchers in linguistics where several approaches such as traditional grammar, semantics and pragmatics, cognitive linguistics and systemic-functional grammar have been adopted. However the thesis is a different approach to modality which analyzes the use of modality in linguistic communication from a pragmatic perspective. The theoretical basis is Verschuren’s Adaptation theory, which depends on a general hypothesis that the process of using language consists of continuous making of linguistic choices, consciously or unconsciously, for language internal or language external reasons. The adaptation theory brings about the following implications for our study of modality from a pragmatic perspective: (1) The use of English modality is a process of choice making; (2) The choice of a particular modal device is a result of dynamic contextual adaptation. (3)Modal choices are results of contextual negotiation and imply different degrees of metapragmatic awareness. The focus of this thesis is on the analysis of interadaptability of modal devices and contextual correlates while the dynamic nature of the adaptation and the metapragmatic awareness involved in the process of meaningful functioning are also analyzed in the hope of revealing the essence of the use of modality in actual communication. The method we take in the present study is primarily a qualitative one, and the data collected include not only written but also spoken discourses, taking into consideration of the effect of natural language on our research. In sum, we have integrated the social, cultural and cognitive factors to explore the contextual correlates to which the modal devices adapt, and conducted a gener