Year: 2022
Type: article
Abstract: The present study is concerned with English intensifiers as a linguistic means of intensification as a complex phenomenon.This complexity is related to the definition and classification of intensifiers.The current study has been conducted to find a very comprehensive classification of intensifiers to analyze them pragmatically in a systematic framework and get a general picture of the pragmatic functions of the intensifiers in this interview.These pragmatic functions are determined by the modification of both illocutionary force and speech acts, besides showing the effect of intensifiers on the other pragmatic functions.The purpose behind the combination of all the above models is to analyze intensifiers pragmatically in a systematic way in the present study.The aims of the study are the following;(i) investigating the frequent use of intensifiers in this political interview, (ii) investigating the pragmatic function of intensifiers, and (iii) examining how the politicians function/use the intensifiers in this political interview.According to these aims, it is hypothesized that;(i) politicians in their interviews frequently use intensifiers, (ii) investigating that English intensifiers have pragmatic functions, and (iii) they use intensifiers in their political interviews for a specific intended meaning as a way, for instance, to express the degree of their feelings, beliefs, and attitudes of persuasion, agreement or any other pragmatic functions.To achieve the aims and the hypotheses of this study, the researcher has selected Boris Johnson"s political interview to analyze pragmatically the intensifiers used by him.The intensifiers are identified depending on the classification of Quirk et al."s (1985).Two models are adopted for the analysis of the pragmatic functions of these intensifiers to conduct a systematic pragmatic analysis.They are: (a) Bazzanella et al. (1991), Cacchiani (2009) & Holmes (1984) for the analysis of modification for; (i)illocutionary force(ii) speech acts, and (b) Urbanova (2003) for Boosting and Attenuating other pragmatic functions.According to data analysis and discussions, the study finds that interlocutors have used different types of intensifiers for various purposes.It has found that intensifiers that express the modal meaning, and those used in the 2 content/discourse oriented are higher in frequency than other tendencies.Moreover, it has also found that the intensifiers of both types, amplifiers and downtoners, have been used to modify the dimensions of the illocutionary force of speech acts.According to the aims and the analysis models, the study is qualitatively designed based on the qualitative content analysis procedure.It was only quantitative to identify the individual and the total use of intensifiers in the interview.According to the discussion and the findings of the data analysis, the study has arrived at the following conclusions:1-The intensifiers are not only used to show the mechanism of modification, but they are also used to show the interpersonal functions such as conveying the speaker"s commitment or attitude toward the propositional content or the addressee.2-The interlocutors use most of the intensifiers to convey the modal meaning.The modal meaning is only used to boost or attenuate the speech acts by both the speaker or the addressee.3-Using a small number of intensifiers to convey the affective meaning by the politician is due to the fact that they cannot speak about their own private life.Their speech is actually authorized by their party and their coalition.Key Words: intensifiers, pragmatic functions, modal meaning, affective meaning, modification of illocutionary force , modification of speech acts. 1.2.1 Bazzanella et al. (1991): Illocutionary Force ModificationThis approach is presented by Bazzanella et al. (1991) to show the role of English intensifiers in both reinforcing or mitigating the illocutionary force from the perspective of Searle in 1 and 2 felicity of conditions and Bazzanella et al. in the third dimension and perlocutionary goals.1) Propositional content 2) Speaker"s inner states (sincerity conditions) 3) Preparatory conditions i. Speaker"s commitment ii.Obligations assigned to addressee 4) Perlocutionary effects 1. Cacchiani (2009a) and Holmes (1984): Modification of Speech ActAccording to Ccchiani (2009a:235-236), it is possible to draw a distinction between reinforcement, mitigation, and aggravation, in the case of reinforcement where it is not a matter of face-work.However, in the case of mitigation, where the resulting of the act of speech is less risky for the speaker, and aggravation where the resulting act of speech is riskier for the speaker Holmes (1985) states that there are two different strategies for modification of the illocutionary force, namely boosting and attenuation.The strategy of boosting occurs by the use of what Quirk et al. (1985) call "amplifiers", whereas attenuation occurs by the use of what Quirk et al. (ibid) call "downtoners".She presents reasons about modifying the force of the speech act: Firstly, to convey modal meaning or the attitude of the speaker to the content of the proposition, secondly, to express affective meaning or the attitude of the speaker to the addressee in the context of utterance. Urbanova (2003): Other Pragmatic Functions of Amplifiers and DowntonersUrbanova (2003) presents a dichotomy, namely, accentuation and attenuation.The notion of accentuation occurs by the use of what Quirk et al. (1985) call "amplifiers", whereas attenuation occurs by the use of what Quirk et al. (ibid) call "downtoners".It can be understood that this model is based on semantic meaning.Urbanova (2003:68) suggests another classification that is related to the relationship of boosting and attenuating with discourse meaning.She suggests that accentuation and attenuation can be classified into three groups as the following: 1-hearer-oriented 2-speaker-oriented 3-(a)-discourse-organizing (for accentuation) (b)-content-oriented (for attenuation)Other linguistic devices serve to classify the intensifiers in these three oriented, for example, the first person pronoun (e.g., I ), the second person pronoun (e.g., you), and the existential there (e.g., there is/are) are used to identify the intensifiers with the speaker, hearer, and with the content/discourse oriented respectively.
Source: Al-Adab Journal
Authors: Ahmed Jiad Zidan, Muslih Shwaysh Ahmed
Institutions: University of Anbar, University of Al Maarif
Language: English
Subfield: Philosophy
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $200
OpenAlex ID: W4296935314