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Library's collection Library's IT development CancelThe study is conducted to analyze types and functions of Hedges in an
argumentative essay entitled Knowing Pornography, written by Robert Jensen.
The problems that are put forward in this study relate with what hedges are found
in the essay, what types of hedges and what functions of those hedges are. The
theory that is applied in this study is the taxonomy of hedges by Salager-Meyer.
This study also falls within the use some functions of hedges by Nugroho in
analyzing the data. They are: softener, negotiate sensitive topic, strengthen
statement, weaken statement, and smoothen disagreement. In relation to the
hedges and their types and functions, it was found that there are a lot of hedges
used in the essay. The most frequent types of hedges that are found are
approximators. These include approximators of degree, quantity, frequency and
time. The following are modal auxiliary verbs, adjectival, adverbial and nominal
modal phrases, modal lexical verbs, introductory phrase, and the last is compound
hedges. In addition, the function of hedges that appear the most is as softener.
Then, it is followed by other functions as: strengthen statement, weaken
statement, negotiating sensitive topic and the last is to smoothen disagreement.
From the findings and analysis it is revealed that there is a relationship between
the types of hedges and the functions of hedges. Moreover, the writer of this thesis
is able to reveal detailed particular effects of hedges used in the essay. The choice
of the hedges in the essay denotes the way the writer expresses his/her ideas and
thoughts.