Maximizers hyping in Chinese MA learners’ and experts’ academic discourse: An EUM-based study

Abstract

The research is to examine the utilization of maximizers as a strategic tool to attain academic rhetorical hype within the realm of Chinese MA theses (CLMA_C) and international journal articles (ILJA_C). Maximizers, which convey heightened intensity and personal commitment, play a crucial role in shaping rhetorical strategies in academic discourse. The study employs the EUM model (Sinclair’s theory of extended units of meaning). By adopting this model, the research makes a significant contribution to elucidating the intricate linguistic choices within scholarly communication. The goal is to analyze the collocation features of the maximizers in CLMA_C and ILJA_C. The goal determines the choice of the subject of research – identifying similarities and differences in the use of maximizers in two databases (international journal articles (ILJA_C) and Chinese MA theses (CLMA_C). The novelty of the research is that the study employs the EUM model to analyze maximizers in CLMA_C and ILJA_C, allowing for a comprehensive examination of both collocational form and contextual meaning. The analysis includes an exploration of lexical patterns, colligation, semantic preference, and semantic prosody, offering a multifaceted understanding of how maximizers contribute to rhetorical strategies. This research uniquely explores maximizers in collocational form and meaning using the EUM model, offering nuanced insights into their role in rhetorical hype and revealing cross-cultural variations through the similarities and significant differences in CLMA_C and ILJA_C. The study contributes significantly to second language acquisition and comparative linguistics, advancing knowledge on maximizers in academic communication. Findings show lexical pattern similarities but significant differences in colligation, semantic preference, and semantic prosody. In CLMA_C, “fully” lacks diverse collocates, with varied colligation patterns influenced by L1 transfer. Regarding semantic prosody, experts adopt a commendatory tone, while Chinese MA learners express an affirmative tone.