Support use in Chinese writers’ English argumentative models: Status and linguistic subjectivity

Abstract

The study investigates support use and its linguistic subjectivity in English argumentative models contributed by L1 Chinese and L1 English writers in the context of Chinese IELTS writing instruction from the perspective of writing as writer activity framed by Hunston's conceptualization of status. Through analysis in two datasets of 60 L2 and 60 L1 essays, the study has revealed seven statuses of support use including assessment, empathy interpretation, inference, cause-effect supposition, prediction, authoritative report, and fact. There is a contrast regarding linguistic subjectivity of support use in the two datasets. More subjective support statuses are found in the L2 essays, whereas objective support statuses are dominant in the L1 essays. Plausible factors including writing instruction and culture-specific communicative styles are discussed. The study has implications for L2 writing research and pedagogy.