Generic Structure and Modality Strategy in English Abstracts of English-Chinese Linguistic Research Articles
Huang Ji · 2016
Research Article( RA) abstract is a particular genre which has always aroused great interest due to the important role fulfilled in the scientific community. And the choice of certain rhetorical strategies may vary across language cultures,disciplines and academic genres. We investigated whether English and Chinese writers show differing preferences for generic structure and modality device in their English Research Articles' abstracts in the field of linguistic studies. 120 Research Articles' English abstracts were selected from recent publications in Chinese and English leading journals of linguistics. The results show that the potential generic structures of English abstracts in both types of journals are somewhat influenced by cross-cultural differences; English abstracts in both English and Chinese academic journals overseas tend to share the basic five elements of IPMFC which,though donot always occur simultaneously,but Chinese journals take fewer moves comparatively,several of which even ignore labeling the components in each move,but there exists nuclear step. And the consciousness in tag language class function of domestic anthors is relatively weak; research on the use of modality has suggested that the distribution of modality shows certain similarity in both journal articles home and abroad whereas the frequency of the use of modality differs insignificantly in that modal auxiliary verbs and epistemic lexical verbs are applied more skillfully while the other modal expressions are optional in use; some impersonal expressions are found to be employed most,among which more passive structures occur compared with abstract rhetors and other agentless structures. additionally,Chinese writers are more likely to go to two extremes in awareness of using modal devices; Overall,the analysis of generic and modal strategy in English abstract helps to reveal its pragmatic intention and generic constraint as well as serves as a reference to evaluation of its appropriacy and accuracy in the global academic community.