TED健康主题英语演讲互动元话语的使用特征及其语用身份功能研究

Interactional Metadiscourse and Pragmatic Identity Construction in English TED Talks on Health

摘要: TED健康类演讲传播范围广、关注度高，近年来逐渐成为传播健康知识和讨论公共健康议题的一个重要平台。本研究结合语用身份论和Hyland互动元话语框架，以TED官网Health主题下收视率最高的20篇英语演讲转写文本为语料，采用语料库统计和语境核验的方式，考察互动元话语的分布特征，并解释其在身份建构中的作用。分析发现，自我提及语和介入标记语使用频率最高，表明演讲者对自我呈现与受众引导的重视；模糊语与强调语主要用于调节断言强度，平衡审慎论证与重点强化；态度标记相对较少。这些资源共同助力演讲者建构了“严谨论证者”“亲和沟通者”“互动组织者”等六种语用身份。进一步来看，演讲者建构这些身份是为了回应健康传播中的四项挑战：适配健康素养差异、解释风险信息、减轻信息过载以及维护受众信任。本研究对TED演讲与健康信息传播具有理论意义和实践意义。

Abstract: TED health talks have become an important platform for disseminating health knowledge and shaping public health issues, given their wide reach and strong public influence. Combining pragmatic identity theory and Hyland’s interactional metadiscourse framework, this study investigates the distribution patterns and identity functions of interactional metadiscourse in the transcripts of the top 20 English TED health talks on TED website. By employing a mixed approach of corpus-based statistics and contextual verification, the study finds that self-mention and engagement markers are used most frequently, emphasizing speakers’ self-presentation and audience guidance. Hedges and boosters are used together to adjust the strength of assertions, balancing cautious argumentation with strategic emphasis, whereas attitude markers are used less frequently. These resources enable speakers construct multiple identities, such as “rigorous arguer,” “affable communicator,” and “interaction organizer.” Further analysis reveals that these identity practices respond to four challenges in health communication: addressing differences in health literacy, explaining risk information, reducing information overload, and maintaining audience trust. This study holds both theoretical and practical significance for TED discourse and health communication.