When reading a newspaper editorial, you may notice writers often use cautious words like perhaps, might, likely, or it seems. These are called hedges—linguistic devices that soften claims, show uncertainty, or leave space for alternative views. Unlike boosters, which make arguments sound strong and certain, hedges make them sound careful and balanced.
A study by Siddique, Mahmood, Qasim, and Azher (2018) examined 1,000 editorials from four leading Pakistani English newspapers—Dawn, The Frontier, The Express Tribune, and The News. The goal was to see how hedges function as part of metadiscourse, the language writers use to interact with readers and manage persuasion.
The researchers proposed a framework of hedges that includes:
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Modal verbs and adverbs (may, might, perhaps)
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Tentative expressions (it seems, it is possible)
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Lexical hedges (likely, apparently, probably)
The findings showed that Dawn used the highest number of hedges, presenting itself as cautious and moderate in tone. The Frontier and The News followed, while The Express Tribune showed fewer instances.
Why does this matter? Hedges reveal how newspapers balance persuasion with caution, showing readers that opinions are being offered without overclaiming certainty. This strategy allows editorials to sound credible, thoughtful, and open to interpretation.
The study concludes that hedges play a vital role in shaping the persuasive style of Pakistani English newspaper editorials, reflecting not only linguistic choices but also journalistic values of balance and credibility.
Keywords: Hedges in Pakistani editorials, Metadiscourse in newspapers, Persuasive language in media, Pakistani English newspapers, Cautious language in writing
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Posted by
Dr. Ali Raza Siddique
PhD Applied Linguistics
Department of Applied Linguistics
Government College University Faisalabad, Punjab, Pakistan.
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