The Discourse of Stance-taking and Inter-subjectivity in Hong Kong Policy Addresses

• Other Authors: Chan, Hon Tung (author.)
• Format: Others
• Language: English; Chinese
• Published: 2016
• Online Access: http://repository.lib.cuhk.edu.hk/en/item/cuhk-1292295

本研究旨在探討香港特別行政區行政長官怎麼在施政報告表達立場 (stance) 和主客觀立場 (intersubjectivity)，即是意見、評論、感情等等。本文主要運用語言庫的方法，研究三位前和現任香港特別行政區行政長官的英文版本施政報告，分別是董建華於1998及2004發表的施政報告、曾蔭權發表於 2008及2012的施政報告以及梁振英於2014及2015發表的施政報告。 === 研究結果顯示，確定立場 (epistemic stance) 和態度立場 (attitudinal stance) 於施政報告中是最常表達的。相反，演講風格立場 (style of speaking stance) 在施政報告中最少使用。就語言標記 (linguistic markers) 來說，情態動詞 (modal verbs) 和補充句式 (complement clauses) 在施政報告中是最常用的。反之，副詞 (adverb) 就是最少使用的。最後，就主客觀立場 (intersubjectivity) 而言，兩種表達方式特別常用，分別是直接表達 (explicit intersubjective) 和間接主表達 (implicit subjectivity) 。 === 從以上結果顯示，我們可以發現施政報告非常著重確定立場 (epistemic stance) 和態度立場 (attitudinal stance)的表達。出現這個現象的原因可能與施政報告文體有關。因為施政報告的主要目的是讓行政長官概述政府來年的施政重點和方向。更重要的是，行政長官也要描述和評估在過去一年間在香港發生的事件，並就這些事件提出應變對策和解決方法，所以行政長官要在其施政報告表達確定立場 (epistemic stance) 和態度立場 (attitudinal stance)。 === 作為極少數的實證研究，本文顯示了香港特別行政區行政長官發表的施政報告的語言特徵。同時，本文的研究的方法和成果對英語研究和英語教學都帶來了新的意義和啟示。例如研究人員可以使用語言庫去研究其他文體，而且，學習者也可以通過學習在施政報告行政長官使用的語言標記，從而在其他語景應用這些語言標記。 === This dissertation examines the use of a range of linguistic devices for the expressions of stance and (inter)subjectivity in a policy document genre - Hong Kong Policy Addresses by the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). In particular, it analyzes stance expressions in terms of their discourse functions and lexico-grammatical patterns. Two analytical frameworks, notably from Biber et al.’s (1999) classification of stance devices and Marin-Arrese’s (2009a) categorization of intersubjectivity, were selected for this study. Biber et al.’s (1999) framework was used to classify and identify the most frequently occurring the three major stance types (i.e., epistemic, attitudinal, and style of speaking) and stance devices (i.e., modals, adverbs, and verbs, nouns and adjective controlling that- and to-complement constructions) in the Hong Kong Policy Addresses; Marin-Arrese’s (2009a) framework was employed to analyze the ways the four types of (inter)subjectivity (i.e., explicit subjectivity, implicit subjectivity, explicit intersubjectivity, and opaque intersubjectivity) were expressed in the Policy Addresses. === Based on the quantitative analysis of the frequencies of stance types, stance devices, and (inter)subjective expressions, it is found that epistemic and attitudinal stances are more common than style of speaking stance in the Policy Addresses. In terms of stance devices, modal verbs are used most frequently, followed by complement constructions and adverbs. As far as (inter)subjective expressions are concerned, expressions of implicit subjectivity and explicit intersubjectivity are used more frequently than those of explicit subjectivity and opaque intersubjectivity. === The qualitative analysis also shows a wide range of discourse functions and lexico-grammatical patterns of stance expressions in the Policy Addresses. For example, the prediction modal (will), possibility modals (may, can), and adverbs, adjectives, nouns, and verbs expressing both certainty and likelihood meanings (clearly, sure, chance) are used to express epistemic stance for reporting statistics and events, making predictions and factual statements, and so on. The volition modal (will), the obligation modal (should), and attitudinal adverbs (closely) are used to express attitudinal stance for making cause-effect relationships, expressing personal feelings, and showing one’s understanding of a particular issue, etc. Style of speaking stance is usually expressed through such forms as style adverbs (especially), nouns of communication (proposal) and verbs of communication (propose) used to strengthen propositions, indicate widely accepted propositions, or make announcements. In terms of lexico-grammatical patterns, the adverb of certainty “firmly” always comes before the likelihood verb “believe” in that-clauses, and the adverb of degree “more” also always precedes the attitudinal adverb “effectively”. It is also found that the style adverbs “particularly” and “especially” occur repeatedly in both pre- and post-verbal positions to modify noun phrases and to-infinitive phrases, whereas the style adverb “in particular” is mainly used in pre-verbal position to modify the whole clause. === Based on the findings of the study, a detailed account of the methodological, conceptual, and pedagogical implications of the study is provided. In particular, the findings shed light on the value of using a corpus-based approach of political discourse analysis and enrich our understanding of how stance and (inter)subjectivity function in the Hong Kong Policy Addresses. === Chan, Hon Tung. === Thesis M.Phil. Chinese University of Hong Kong 2016. === Includes bibliographical references (leaves ). === Abstracts also in Chinese. === Title from PDF title page (viewed on …). === Detailed summary in vernacular field only. === Detailed summary in vernacular field only. === Detailed summary in vernacular field only. === Detailed summary in vernacular field only.