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Ch 8

Hedging Language

Soften claims · academic register · cautious tone

Hedging — softening claims

Hedging is the use of cautious, indirect language to soften statements. It's essential in academic and professional writing where overstating is risky.

Modal hedge
This may suggest that... (not "this proves")
Reporting hedge
It has been argued that... (not "I think")
Frequency hedge
generally, often, tend to

Modal hedges

may / might
This may indicate a shift in policy.
could
The data could suggest...
would
One would expect to see this trend...
should
Results should not be over-interpreted.

Impersonal hedge structures

It is + adj + that
It is widely believed that...
It seems / appears
It seems that the policy has failed.
There is evidence to suggest
There is evidence to suggest that...
One could argue
One could argue that this is unsustainable.
Subject + tends to
Younger people tend to use social media more.

Hedging adverbs and adjectives

Adverbs of frequency
generally · typically · often · usually · normally
Adverbs of degree
relatively · fairly · somewhat · rather · quite
Adjectives of probability
likely · probable · possible · plausible · feasible
Approximation
approximately · roughly · about · around · in the region of

Direct vs hedged statement

Direct (risky in academic)
Smoking causes cancer.
Children today are lazy.
The economy will collapse.
Hedged (academic)
Smoking is widely linked to cancer.
Children today tend to be less active.
The economy may face serious challenges.

Common mistakes

All teenagers love social media.
→
Most teenagers tend to enjoy social media.
avoid absolutes in academic writing
This is the only solution.
→
This appears to be one of the solutions.
soften absolute claims
Studies prove that X causes Y.
→
Studies suggest a link between X and Y.
prove → suggest in scholarly writing

Your turn

Answer out loud — full sentences

Make careful, hedged claims.

1
Do teenagers spend too much time online? Answer without absolutes.
2
Is it likely that cars will be driverless in 20 years?
3
What tends to happen when people don't sleep enough?
4
Turn this into a careful claim: "Video games make people violent."

Recap

Modals
may, might, could, would, should
This may indicate...
Impersonal
It seems / appears · There is evidence to suggest
It is widely believed that...
Frequency
generally, typically, often, tend to
Most students tend to...
Avoid
absolutes: all, never, always, prove
most → all · suggest → prove
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