HEDGING DEVICES IN ENGLISH AND BEHDINI-KURDISH: A CONTRASTIVE STUDY

MAHDI TAWFIQ    SADDIQ; SHIVAN SHLAYMON  TOMA

doi:10.26682/hjuod.2023.26.2.3

MAHDI TAWFIQ SADDIQ Dept. of Translation, College of Languages, University of Duhok, Kurdistan Region-Iraq
SHIVAN SHLAYMON TOMA Dept. of Translation, College of Languages, University of Duhok, Kurdistan Region-Iraq

DOI: https://doi.org/10.26682/hjuod.2023.26.2.3

Keywords: Hedging Devices, Behdini-Kurdish, English Hedges, Epistemic Modal Auxiliaries

Abstract

This study presents a contrastive study of hedging devices in English and Behdini-Kurdish (also known as Northern Kurmanji). The appropriate identification, interpretation, utilization and translation of hedging devices are problematic for EFL learners and translators. Hedges are expressions used in speech and writing to avoid being committed to the truth conditionality of the statement, to express hesitation, to be uncertain, less direct, and to be polite. The study aims to provide a descriptive study of hedging in the two languages to identify similarities and differences between their hedging systems. This aim is achieved by reviewing some of the main classifications of the English hedges as the foundation for devising a classificatory system for hedges in Kurdish. Therefore, the study explores how hedging is voiced in both English and Kurdish and finds out that the English hedging system is more complex than the Kurdish one. Furthermore, it concludes that hedging in Kurdish is mostly lexicalized in nature due to the absence of epistemic modal auxiliaries as one of the main subcategories of hedging devices. The research also identifies another subclass of hedging devices which has not been addressed before in the available literature on hedging in the two languages. This subcategory is the use of the plural forms of some numbers and date expressions which are used when the exact number or date is not known by the writer as (thousands, millions, etc.) and (in the 1990s, etc.).

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Abdul al-Aziz, P. S. (2014). Hedging in Kurdish with reference to English. Journal of Dohuk University Humanities and Social Sciences, 17(2), 1-11
Ahmed, B. O. (2005). Darbŕīnī Reža la Diālektī Žurwi Zimānī Kûrdīdā [Expressing mood in the northern dialect of Kurdish]. Unpublished Doctoral Dissertation. University of Saladdin.
Behnam, B., & Khaliliakdam, S. (2012). A Cross-Cultural study on hedging devices in Kurdish conversation. Acta Linguistica Asiatica, 2(1), 73–88. https://doi.org/10.4312/ala.2.1.73-88
Biber, D., Conrad, S., & Leech, G. N. (2002). Longman student grammar of spoken and written English. Edinburgh, Longman.
Brown, P. and Levinson, S. (1987). Politeness: Some universals in language usage. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Fraser, B. (2010). Pragmatic competence: The case of hedging. In G. Kaltenböck, W. Mihatsch, & S. Schneider (Eds.), New Approaches to Hedging (pp. 15-34). https://www.bu.edu/wheelock/files/2010/10/2010-Pragmatic-Competence-The-Case-of-Hedging.pdf
Holmes, J. (1982). “Expressing doubt and certainty in English”. RELC, 13, pp.19-28 http://rel.sagepub.com/content/13/2/9
Hornby, A.S. (2000). Oxford advanced learners dictionary of current English. (6th ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Hubler, A. (1983). Understatements and hedges in English. Amsterdam: John Benjamins.
Hyland, K. (1998). Hedging in scientific research articles. Amsterdam: John Benjamins.
Lakoff, G. (1972). Hedges: A study of meaning criteria and the logic of fuzzy concepts. In Peranteau. P., J. Levi and G. Phares (Eds.). Papers from the eight regional meeting of Chicago linguistic society. (pp.183 – 228).Chicago: Chicago University Press.
Markkanen, R. and Schroder, H. (1997). Hedging and discourse: Approaches to the analysis of a pragmatic phenomenon in academic texts. Berlin: Walter de Gruyter.
Moheddin, K. & Sherwani, K. (2019). Hedges Used in Kurdish Political Discourse. International Journal of Psychosocial Rehabilitation. 23. 648-657. http://dx.doi.org/10.37200/IJPR/V23I3/PR190354
Mukheef, R. N. (2012). Investigating knowledge and use of Iraqi EFL university learners of hedging devices. Journal of University of Babylon, 20(3), 745-779. https://www.iasj.net/iasj/download/907ca4a821ea0ed9
Palmer, F. (1990). Modality and the English modals. (2nd ed.). London: Longman.
------------ (2001). Modality and the English modals. (4th ed.). London: Longman.
Prince, E., J. Frader and C. Bosk (1982). On hedging in physician-physician discourse , in R. J. Di Pietro (Ed.), Linguistics and the professions. Proceedings of the second annual delaware symposium on language studies. Norwood, NJ: Ablex, 83–97. http://www.cs.columbia.edu/~prokofieva/CandidacyPapers/Prince_Hedging.pdf
Quirk, R., Greenbaum, S., Leech, G., & Svartivik, J. (1985). A comprehensive grammar of the English language. London: Longman.
Salager-Meyer, F. (1994). Hedges and textual communicative function in medical English written discourse. English for Specific Purposes, 13, 149-170.
---------------------- (1997). I think that perhaps you should: A study of hedges in written scientific discourse. Functional Approaches to Writtent text: Classroom applications, 105-118. https://www.tesol-france.org/uploaded_files/files/TESOL%20V2N2%20C8%20I%20think%20that%20Perhaps.pdf
Salih, R.R (2014). A comparative study of English and Kurdish connectives in newspaper opinion articles. Unpublished PhD Dissertation, School of English, University of Leicester. https://leicester.figshare.com/articles/thesis/A_comparative_study_of_English_and_Kurdish_connectives_in_newspaper_opinion_articles/10159589
Shwani, R. (2003). Amrazî bestinewe le zimanî Kurdîda. [connective devices in Kurdish] unpublished Doctoral dissertation . Zankoy Silêmanî.
Simpson, P. (1990). “Modality in literary – critical discourse”. In: W. Nash (Ed.), The writing scholar: studies in academic discourse. Newbury Park: Sage, (pp.63-94).
Toma, Sh.Sh. & Simo. H.I.A. (2020). Modality in English and Kurdish: A contrastive study. Journal of University of Duhok. Humanities and Social Sciences, 23(1), (pp.63-70) https://journal.uod.ac/index.php/uodjournal/article/view/689
Varttala, P. (2001). Hedging in scientifically oriented discourse: Exploring variation according to discipline and intended audience. Unpublished Doctoral Dissertation. University of Tempere. http://acta.uta.fi/pdf/951-44-5195-3.pdf.
Endnotes
i https://orwh.od.nih.gov/mmm-portal/what-mmm
iihttps://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thousand
iii https://gavtv.net/ku/2698
ivhttps://gavtv.net/ku/3617
v https://www.basnews.com/so/babat/580647
vihttps://www.facebook.com/noshnews/posts/2741263536087735/
viihttp://www.rwangauraxna.com/ba/detail.aspx?IDNews=5070