模因论视角下中国大学生写作中模糊限制语的语用研究

A Research on the Pragmatic Role of Hedges in the Writing of Chinese College Students under the Perspective of Memetics

摘要: 模糊限制语不仅出现在口语中，在书面语也有着非常重要的作用。写作是检验学生语言输出成果的一项重要衡量标准，在语言习得中有着重要作用。写作过程和模因论视角下的四个阶段一致。本文从模因论视角研究中国大学生写作中模糊限制语的使用情况，以北外的TECCL语料库为研究数据，并将重点和非重点院校英语学习者和南北方地区对比考虑在内。本研究共选取78篇作文作为研究语料库，并将语料库分类，根据程度变动型、范围变动型、直接缓和型和间接缓和型对模糊限制语进行分类，对不同水平学习者和南北方英语学习者的模糊限制语输出进行分析。研究发现，中国英语学习者在写作过程中存在少用、滥用模糊限制语，而且在二语模糊限制语习得过程中发生了语言损耗和母语迁移现象，其使用频率基本符合强势和弱势语言模因的规律。

Abstract: Hedge is not only found in spoken language, but also plays a significant role in written language. Meanwhile, writing is an important measure of students’ language output and has a crucial role in language acquisition. The process of writing aligns with the four stages in the memetic perspective. This study examines the usage of hedges in Chinese college students’ writing from the perspective of memetics, using the TECCL corpus from Beijing Foreign Studies University as the research data. It focuses on comparing English learners from prestigious and non-prestigious institutions, as well as learners from the northern and southern regions of China. A total of 78 essays were selected as the research corpus, which was categorized based on the types of hedges: adaptors, rounders, plausibility shields, and attribution shields. The output of hedges from learners of different proficiency levels and from different regions was analyzed. The study found that Chinese English learners exhibit underuse and overuse of hedges in the writing process, and they experience language attrition and native language transfer during the acquisition of a second language fuzzy restrictive language. The frequency of usage generally conforms to the patterns of strong and weak language memes.