THE USE OF HEDGING DEVICES IN RESPONSES TO DIRECT QUESTIONS IN ENGLISH (IN CONTRAST WITHTHEIR 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 results 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.