Comparative Analysis of Hedges and Boosters in Discussion Sections of Articles Journals

Dhea Ramadhani; Nur Rosita

doi:10.24036/ell.v14i2.135267

Comparative Analysis of Hedges and Boosters in Discussion Sections of Articles Journals

Dhea Ramadhani⁽¹⁾, Nur Rosita⁽²⁾,
(1) Universitas Negeri Padang

Indonesia
(2) Universitas Negeri Padang

Indonesia

Corresponding Author
Copyright (c) 2025 Dhea Ramadhani

DOI : https://doi.org/10.24036/ell.v14i2.135267

Full Text:

Language : English

Abstract

This study aims to identify the types and frequencies of hedges and boosters in articles from a national journal (Lingua Didaktika) and an international journal (TESOL Quarterly). It employs the taxonomy by Salager-Meyer (1997) for hedges and Hinkel (2005) for boosters. This study uses a quantitative descriptive method to categorize and analyze the data. The results show that hedges are more frequently found in the TESOL Quarterly Journal, 8.64 times, than in the Lingua Didaktika Journal, 2.44 times. Meanwhile, boosters are more frequently found in the Lingua Didaktika Journal 2.32 times than in the TESOL Quarterly Journal 1.06 times. The most common type of hedges found in both journals is modal auxiliary verbs, with 6.88 in TESOL Quarterly Journal and 1.68 in Lingua Didaktika Journal, and the most common type of boosters is amplifiers, with 1.56 in Lingua Didaktika Journal and 0.40 in TESOL Quarterly Journal. Modal auxiliary verbs are used to indicate possibility, uncertainty, or doubt, serving to soften claims. In contrast, amplifiers are used to indicate certainty and reinforce statements, claims, or opinions, making sentences sound stronger and more convincing. This study emphasizes that hedges and boosters are important strategies in academic writing, especially in the discussion section of research articles. Hedges serve to weaken claims, showing possibilities that serve to reduce certainty, whereas the use of boosters shows confidence, certainty, and reinforces the truth of a statement.

Keywords

Academic writing, Hedges, Boosters, Discussion section, Research articles

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