Epistemic modality in learner writing

1
Epistemic modality in learner writing

• Siân Morgan
• Language centre
• University of Modena and Reggio Emilia
• Italy
• sianmorgan_at_katamail.com Louvain,
  September 2007

2
Why epistemic modality?

• Mitigators or hedges allow writers to
• avoid absolute statements
• acknowledge the presence of alternative voices
• express caution in anticipation of criticism
• Amplifiers or boosters allow writers to
• demonstrate confidence and commitment in a
  proposition
• mark their involvement and solidarity with the
  reader

3

• .. ..meaning is not synonymous with
  content but dependent on all the components of
  a text. Both propositional and metadiscoursal
  elements occur together. ...each element
  expressing its own content one concerned with
  the world, and the other with the text and its
  reception. (Hyland,2004, bold added)

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This study

• how Italian students hedge or boost their
  statements
• Y2 undergraduates
• 42 female, 8 male
• B2/C1 (CEFR)
• argumentative writing tasks
• total number words (53,470)

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Really

• 1 not obligatory, they are really
  important. For
• 2 mon to find people who really like
  travelling and
• 3 et outside of school will really help
  you in your li
• 4 s experience, it doesnt really
  concern only scho
• 5 on on these facts to be really
  effective teachers
• 6 so work experience can really
  help you to grow
• 7 place, thats why youre really
  interested on it.
• at the world of sport has really changed
  today an
• during the meeting are really serious and
  that it
• have turned out to be really
  appreciated by pe
• ti-cultural society, it is really useful to
  develop a
• ogies have become a really important
  part of e
• mester. What students really need is to
  enjoy t
• ising cultures might be really
  dangerous. The ris
• lescence, indeed, is a really essential
  moment
• res. Their existence is really precious
  to us and
• ery wide, and it would really be wrong
  to dismiss

6
In my opinion

• 1 congestion charge.
  In my opinion it is a right
• 2 rom everyone, because, in my opinion,
  its a good
• 3 as well. Therefore, in my
  opinion, a measure
• 4 should do it in this way.
  In my opinion its not rig
• 5 ly the young ones, and, in
  my opinion, most of t
• 6 re have to pay 5 euros. In
  my opinion it would b
• 7 travel experiences are -in my
  opinion- extremely
• 8 nd plenty of sustainers. In my
  opinion, informal e
• 9 day only to go to work. In my
  opinion it would
• 10 th sides. Furthermore, in my
  opinion this kind
• 11 orried about his wealth. In my
  opinion, otherwise
• 12 nly school. Furthermore in my
  opinion school is
• 13 worried about his wealth. In
  my opinion, otherwise
• 14 this measure because, in
  my opinion, it isnt ac
• 15 ergarten education and, in my
  opinion, this is ve
• 16 c ity-centre of Cagliari. In my
  opinion  if  there w
• 17 tiative will be success. In my
  opinion it is nece
• 18 nter via Trento Trieste. In my
  opinion the best
• 19 must across the zone. In my
  opinion even the

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Possible factors influencing use

• general language level (even within this student
  population).
• writing competence
• lack of register control.
• individual differences in communicative style
• cultural differences in rhetorical style

8
Implications for teaching

• Expand lexical resources
• Attention to phraseology
• Exposure to appropriate text models
• CR activities and form-focused practice
• Rewriting practice

9
Diolch yn Fawr!

• Siân Morgan
• Centro Linguistico dAteneo
• Università di Modena e Reggio Emilia
• morgan_at_unimore.it