A Comparative Study On Persuasion Functions Of Metadiscourse Between Fictional And Non-fictional Literature Book Reviews

As an important part of newspaper,the basic function of book review is that reviewers introduce the recently published literature and express their personal opinions about them in order to recommend the book to readers.Metadiscourse helps reviewers to organize arguments and build the interaction among the book's author,reviewers and readers to make book review more convincing.At the same time,because of the diversity of literary genres(fiction,biography,history,etc.),literature is generally divided into fiction and non-fiction for evaluation in newspaper.Metadiscourse helps reviewers to organize arguments and build the interaction among the book's author,reviewers and readers to make book review more convincing.However,some previous studies have been conducted on newspaper book reviews from the perspective of appraisal theory;there are few comparative studies on persuasion functions of metadiscourse in fictional and non-fictional literature book reviews in newspaper.Therefore,Hyland's(2005a)interpersonal model of metadiscourse and Aristotle's three persuasion modes are adoped as theoretical basis and analytical framework respectively,and then compares the persuasion functions of metadiscourse between the fictional and non-fictional literature book reviews in The New York Times Book Reviews.Findings are shown as follows:(1)Ten categories of metadiscourse resources all occur in the fictional and non-fictional literature book reviews,and the frequency of metadiscourse in fictional literature book reviews is higher than non-fictional literature book reviews.The chi-square test results show that there are significant differences in transition markers,frame markers,endophoric markers,boosters,self-mentions and attitude markers in the two sub-corpora.The possible reasons are the difference of fictional and non-fictional literature genre,the reviewer's value and independent book reviewer system.(2)The study also shows metadiscourse could help book reviewers realize persuasion functions in fictional and non-fictional book reviews.Transitions,frame markers,code glosses,endophoric markers are used to make book reviews more coherent and logical,thus realizing rational appeal.Evidentials,hedges,boosters and self-mentions are used to build a fair and authoritative image and achieve credibility appeal.Finally,by using attitude markers and engagement markers,reviewers engage readers into the text and enhance the interaction among the author of book,reviewers and readers to create affective appeal.Through analyzing how the reviewer uses metadiscourse to achieve persuasion functions,and this study enriches metadiscourse in media discourse.The present study also helps reviewers to use metadiscourse effectively and recommend the new book objectively to readers.