The Use of Epistemic Modality Markers as Hedges in Scientific Research Texts

Abstract

Bilgisel kiplik bir ifadede sunulan bilgiye ilişkin yazarın özgüven düzeyini yansıtır. Yazarın sözcük seçimlerinin bilginin artarımında önemli rol oynadığı bilimsel araştırmalar, pekiştirici veya önermenin kesinliğini azaltan ifadeler olarak kiplik belirticilerinin dikkatle seçimini gerektirir. Bu bağlamda, mevcut çalışma Türk araştırmacıların doktora tezleri, yüksek lisans tezleri ve araştırma makaleleri gibi akademik metinlerde bilgisel kiplik belirticilerini önermenin kesinliğini azaltan ifadeler olarak kullanımını incelemeyi amaçlamaktadır. Bu bütünce çalışmasında, İngiliz Dilbilimi, İngilizce Öğretmenliği ve İngiliz Dili ve Edebiyatı alanlarında yayınlanmış olan 30 akademik yayının (10 doktora tezi, 10 yüksek lisans tezi ve 10 araştırma makalesi) giriş ve sonuç kısımlarından oluşan iki bütünce araştırma sorularını cevaplamak amacıyla veri olarak kullanılmıştır.Verilerin bütünce analizi, "may" ve "can" kiplik fiillerinin yayınların giriş kısımlarında sıklıkla kullanıldığını ortaya koymuştur ki bu da yazarların yayınların sonuç kısımlarında daha az tereddütlü iken giriş bölümlerinde daha fazla tereddüt taşıdıklarını göstermektedir. Bunun yanında, Türk araştırmacıların kiplik fiilerini diğer bilgisel kiplik belirticilerine kıyasla daha sık kullandıkları sonucuna varılmıştır.

Keywords

• Epistemic modality
• hedges
• hedging
• scientific genre

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