Resumen de Los mecanismos de atenuación en cartas al editor. una exploración en la comunidad médica
Diego Adolfo Morales, Gina Burdiles Fernández, Oscar Alberto Morales
- español
This paper aims to identify, describe and analyze the linguistic hedging strategies used in a corpus of letters to the editor published in specialized Chilean medical journals between 1999 and 2017. 302 texts were analyzed considering the use of the following categories: shields, approximators, impersonal expressions, personal implication and doubts, and temporary deixis. Two types of hedges predominate: shields and approximators, which affect the author's commitment to what is expressed and to the audience, protecting the author from threats to his image. The results may contribute to the knowledge of this genre from the discourse analysis perspective. They also have didactic implications for the teaching of writing and reading skills in medical genres.
- español
Este artículo persigue identificar, describir y analizar las estrategias de atenuación lingüística utilizadas en un corpus de cartas al editor publicadas en revistas chilenas especializadas de medicina entre los años 1999 y 2017. Se analizaron 302 textos considerando el uso de las siguientes categorías: escudos, aproximadores, expresiones impersonales, implicación y dudas personales, y deícticos temporales. Predominan dos tipos de atenuadores: los escudos y los aproximadores, los cuales afectan el compromiso del autor con lo expresado y con la audiencia, protegiendo al autor de amenazas hacia su imagen (Puga 14). Los resultados pueden contribuir con el conocimiento de este género desde la perspectiva del análisis del discurso. Tienen, además, implicaciones didácticas para la enseñanza de las competencias de escritura y lectura de géneros médicos.
This paper aims to identify, describe and analyze the linguistic hedging strategies used in a corpus of letters to the editor published in specialized Chilean medical journals between 1999 and 2017. 302 texts were analyzed considering the use of the following categories: shields, approximators, impersonal expressions, personal implication and doubts, and temporary deixis. Two types of hedges predominate: shields and approximators, which affect the author's commitment to what is expressed and to the audience, protecting the author from threats to his image. The results may contribute to the knowledge of this genre from the discourse analysis perspective. They also have didactic implications for the teaching of writing and reading skills in medical genres.
