<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>In academic writing stance is often conveyed by means of extraposed <italic>that-</italic>clauses (<italic>It is possible that the results were misinterpreted.</italic>). The impersonal form of a matrix predicate allows writers to express attitudes without assuming responsibility for the claim, which renders extraposition particularly convenient for hedging (Biber et al., 1999). The equivalent clause type in Croatian refers to declarative subject <italic>da-</italic>clauses (<italic>Moguće je da su rezultati krivo protumačeni</italic>.). The study examines the hedging potential of the target clauses in research articles in English and Croatian. Raising awareness of the way hedged stance is conveyed in cross-cultural academic writing may provide important implications for academic writing instruction particularly in a non-native English context.</p></abstract>

In academic writing stance is often conveyed by means of extraposed that-clauses (It is possible that the results were misinterpreted.). The impersonal form of a matrix predicate allows writers to express attitudes without assuming responsibility for the claim, which renders extraposition particularly convenient for hedging (Biber et al., 1999). The equivalent clause type in Croatian refers to declarative subject da-clauses (Moguće je da su rezultati krivo protumačeni.). The study examines the hedging potential of the target clauses in research articles in English and Croatian. Raising awareness of the way hedged stance is conveyed in cross-cultural academic writing may provide important implications for academic writing instruction particularly in a non-native English context.

Hedging functions of extraposed <italic>that-</italic>clauses in English and declarative subject <italic>da-</italic>clauses in Croatian academic writing

ExELL

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Hedging functions of extraposed clauses in English and declarative subject clauses in Croatian academic writing

In academic writing stance is often conveyed by means of extraposed that-clauses (It is possible that the results were misinterpreted.). The impersonal form of...

Hedging functions of extraposed that-clauses in English and declarative subject da-clauses in Croatian academic writing

Published Online: Aug 26, 2021

Page range: 83 - 109

Received: Sep 30, 2020

Accepted: Dec 01, 2020

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/exell-2021-0001

Keywords
extraposed clauses, declarative subject clauses, hedging, English, Croatian

© 2021 Mirna Varga, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Hedging functions of extraposed that-clauses in English and declarative subject da-clauses in Croatian academic writing

Published Online: Aug 26, 2021

Page range: 83 - 109

Received: Sep 30, 2020

Accepted: Dec 01, 2020

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/exell-2021-0001

Keywordsextraposed clauses, declarative subject clauses, hedging, English, Croatian

© 2021 Mirna Varga, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
extraposed clauses, declarative subject clauses, hedging, English, Croatian