The use of hedging devices in responses to direct questions in English (in contrast with their Vietnamese equivalents)

Abstract

    This paper investigates the forms, frequency, and functions of hedging devices used in responses to direct questions in English spoken language and does a contrastive analysis of the functions of these devices and their Vietnamese equivalents. The resuhs revealed that in responses to direct questions in English and Vietnamese, hedging as a mitigating device is extensively employed and that English hedges play the same roles as their Vietnamese equivalents in spoken discourse.