Abstract
Writers can apply interpersonal metadiscourse markers to encode an interaction and build a relationship with their readers. In some particular genres, such as newspaper discourse, they can even be used as means of attaining persuasive goals. Initiated by the idea, the present writer attempts to explore the use of interpersonal metadiscourse markers in Indonesian newspaper opinion articles. This present study aims to investigate interpersonal metadiscourse categories and subcategories applied and most predominantly occuring in the type of newspaper article. For the data, eleven selected articles of an Indonesian newspaper were taken to analyze by using Dafouz’s (2008) classification of interpersonal metadiscourse markers. Results reveal that interpersonal metadiscourse categories (hedges, certainty markers, attributors, attitude markers, and commentaries) and subcategories (epistemic verbs, probability adverbs, deontic verbs, attitudinal adverbs, attitudinal adjectives, cognitive verbs, rhetorical questions, inclusive expressions, personalizations, and asides) were used in Indonesian opinion articles. It is also found that attitude markers and two subcategories, which are deontic and epistemic verbs, are most frequently present in the texts.
Highlights
Newspaper is one of the most popular written discourses in all over the world
The present writer finds interesting results regarding the frequency of occurrence of interpersonal metadiscourse markers in Indonesian opinion articles
It is found that attributors are used by the writers to support and justify their arguments on an issue, as example (12) shows. The results of this present study suggest that interpersonal metadiscourse markers realized by some categories and subcategories are employed in Indonesian newspaper opinion articles
Summary
Newspaper is one of the most popular written discourses in all over the world It has already become a very important public media having a wide range of audience for a long time because of its significant role in serving people information related to their world. As one of public sources of information, newspaper generally offers two kinds of text type, namely editorial and opinion article or column. While editorials are normally written by reporters and editorialists and represent the position of the newspaper, opinion articles are usually written by experts and do not reflect official viewpoint of the newspaper. Opinion article is regarded as an adequate example of persuasive writing in all countries setting standards for written persuasion (Connor, 1996)
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