本文主要討論中文及英文的道歉語行，著重於跨文化間修飾道歉的方法和模式的比較。文中從回顧研究語言行為修飾模式(modification pattern)的傳統觀點及可表現修飾模式的語句特徵(linguistic feature)開始，進而強調語句特徵必須經由功能性的分類才具備可以反應修飾模式的能力。本文以道歉語行中的內在修飾(internal modification)作為研究範疇，檢視包括中文，英文，及英文學習者的中介語言(interlanguage)的行為表現。
研究發現中文和英文之中的修飾模式反應了兩個文化間的差異。例如，兩種母語使用者於道歉時皆使用較多的增強語句特徵。但是比起中文使用者，英語母語使用者運用更多增強功能的語句特徵。相反的，以中文為母語的使用者比英語母語使用者運用較多規避的語意特徵。另一方面，中介語言的修飾模式則反映了英語學習者的態度受到了本國文化思想的影響而比較類似中文。但是因為語言能力(language proficiency)的關係，修飾模式裡中語句特徵的運用不僅不及英語母語使用者，甚至也低於他們在使用中文時的表現。
本文於文末指出，雖然實驗證明語句特徵必須經由功能性的分類才具備可以反應修飾模式的能力，但是要確實表現語言行為語氣的強度，不僅需要討論內在修飾模式，外在修飾模式也必須一併被包括。因此，研究完整的修飾模式應是未來值得努力的方向。

This study aimed to compare the use of apology internal modification patterns between two groups of native speakers (Chinese and English) and EFL learners in the hope to serve as the base for further interlanguage studies. However, rather than following the traditional treatment that focuses largely on intensification of illocutionary indicating devices (IFIDs), this study examined the internal modification of apology under the scope defined by Trosborg (1995) with a proposed functional coding system. Results showed, as predicted by Olshtain (1989), although apology may be a universal act across different cultures in terms of a similar range and preference order of strategies, internal modification varied significantly cross-culturally and seemed to cause problems in learners’ languages. For instance, Chinese speakers tended to use more linguistic devices, both upgraders and downgraders, to mitigate their sense of guilt in situations when English natives chose to adopt more upgrading modality markers to strengthen their apology. Interlanguege speakers of two proficiency levels revealed the same cultural attitude, but failed to match not only English but also Chinese natives in terms of being articulate and eloquent. However, such results only suggest besides the traditional distinction between upgraders vs. downgraders, the functions of modality markers should also be taken into account. In order to obtain a clearer picture of speech act behavior and to draw valid pedagogical implications, more work has to be done considering speakers’ use of both internal and external pragmalinguistic modifications.

ABSTRACT i
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ii
LIST OF TABLES iv
LIST OF FIGURES vi

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION 1
1.1 Interlanguage Pragmatics Studies 1
1.2 Modality Markers in the Speech Act Studies 4
1.3 Purpose of the Study 6

CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW 10
2.1 Modality and Modality Markers 10
2.1.1 The Concept of Modality 11
2.1.2 English Modality 12
2.1.3 Chinese Modality 15
2.1.4 Modality and the Speech Act 17
2.2 Modality Marker in Speech Act Study 18
2.2.1 Complaints and Requests 18
2.2.2 Apologies 24

CHAPTER 3 METHOD 32
3.1 Subjects 33
3.2 Materials 33
3.3 Coding System 36
3.3.1 Trosborg’s (1987, 1995) Classification of Apology Strategies 36
3.3.2 Proposed Coding System for Internal Modification of Apology 37
3.3.3 MAXIMIZERs vs. MINIMIZERs 39
3.3.3.1 MAXIMIZERs 39
3.3.3.2 MINIMIZERs 42

CHAPTER 4 RESULTS and DISCUSSION 47
4.1 The Distribution of Modality Markers in the Four Groups 47
4.1.1 Overall Use of Modality Markers 48
4.1.2 MAXIMIZERs vs. MINIMIZERs 49
4.1.3 The Preference of Modality Markers 55
4.1.3.1 The Use of Repetition of Intensifiers 57
4.1.3.2 The Use of SO, VERY, and REALLY 59
4.1.4 Pragmatic Transfer in the Use of Modality Markers 61
4.3 The Effect of Contextual Factors on the Choice of Modality Markers 67
4.2.1 Severity of Offense 68
4.2.2 Social Status 72
4.2.3 Social Distance 74
4.2.4 Gender 76
4.2.4.1 Interlocutor Gender 77
4.2.4.2 Speaker Gender 79
4.2.5 The Effect of Contextual Factors on Individual Modality Markers 80

CHAPTER 5 CONCLUSION 85
5.1 Summary 85
5.2 Implications 88
5.3 Limitations and Suggestions 89

REFERRENCE 91

APPENDIX 99
APPENDIX 1: Questionnaire: Chinese Version for NS-C 99
APPENDIX 2: Tables for the use of SO, VERY, and REALLY 107

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