Types and Functions of Hedges:A Pragmatic Perspective

0.IntroductionPragmatic vagueness is a very common phenomenon in human verbal communications.A very important reason for this is that people often use hedges while communicating.Based on different criteria,hedges can

0. Introduction Pragmatic vagueness is a very common phenomenon in human verbal cornmunieations.A very important reason for this is that people often use hedges while communicating.Based on different criteria,hedges can be grouped into different types,thus performing various functions.These functions can be associated with Cooperative Principle and Politeness Principles in pragmatics.Hedges can also be seen as a kind of Loose Talk.