英语TED演讲语篇中情态使用的性别变体研究

A Gender Variation Study of Modality in English TED Talks

情态是人际元功能的重要组成部分,在演讲话语中尤其重要。针对性别变体这一特殊语言现象,本文以Halliday的系统功能语言学为依据,采用以气候为话题的TED演讲为语料,探讨男女两性演讲者在情态使用上的性别变体,旨在揭示情态选择差异与性别之间的联系。研究结果表明:男性和女性演讲者在情态类型的选择上都倾向于使用表达可能性意义的情态词;在情态取向方面具有一定的共性,多采用非明确主观取向的情态词,强调说话人的主观态度;在情态量值方面,男性演讲者并未呈现出显著的选择倾向,而女性演讲者具有明显的低量值情态选择倾向。

Modality is an important part of interpersonal meta-function, especially in speech discourse. Based on Halliday’s Systemic Functional Linguistics, this paper tries to explore the gender varia-tions in the use of modality by male and female speakers in TED talks on the topic of climate, to reveal the relationship between the differences in modality choice and gender. The results show that in the choice of modality, both male and female speakers tend to use modality words ex-pressing possibility. In terms of orientation, most modality words in male and female speech are subjective implicit, emphasizing the subjective attitude of the speaker. In the value of modality, there is no preference in male speakers but more low-valued modality words are preferred by female speakers.