Hedge (linguistics)
A stern expression ( also linguistic hedge ) is an adverbial or adjectival phrase, with which the speaker makes a statement as to the extent to which he assigns certain things one category. This representativeness scale goes from "X is a kind of Y " to " X is Y par excellence ". The phrase " X is a kind of Y" then referred to a peripheral representatives of the category, while the phrase "X is Y par excellence " X as a typical representative (prototype) Category Y identifies:
- " The sparrow is a bird par excellence " vs. " The penguin is a kind of bird"
The penguin birds remind the Western Europeans at least to a popular bird. The Spheniscidae not fly, the feathers can be seen only on closer inspection, and they are mostly in the water, unless they are held by the Mauser it. If they 35 km / h from the water fast, it confuses the untrained eye even with dolphins. In contrast, the sparrow is one of the most famous and also the most widespread until the late 20th century bird species at all.
Based on a language and associated cultural space can thus collect statistically the extent to which categorizations are possible and meaningful. So it would be inconsistent to say in German, " The oak tree is a deciduous tree in the broadest sense ", as the oak in Germany is regarded as typical deciduous tree.
Stern expressions contradict thus in principle because of their ambiguity the conversational maxims, because the statements are to be considered in each case relative to a specific cultural background.
Examples
- Typical
- Strange
- In the strict / narrow / broad sense
- Zoological seen a penguin is a bird
- Actually, a whale is a mammal
- Strictly speaking, rhubarb is a vegetable
- Spoken Lose a phone is considered as piece of furniture