Hedging strategies in English and Arabic scientific written discourse

الملخص EN

Hedging is especially a common phenomenon in scientific writing and can be realized through a wide variety of linguistic choices.

it has the pragmatic effects which play an essential role in building the argumentative structure of the scientific discourse.

the objective of this research is to conduct a stylistic and rhetorical study based on interlinguistic analysis of the aspects of hedging in the discipline of pharmacology to know the role of hedges and the ways in which they shape knowledge claims in pharmacological discourse and,conse quently, to develop an understanding of how these textual functions are used to construct a representation of pharmacological knowledge.

the data for this study are collected from some English and Arabic pharmacological research papers.

the present study reveals that rhetoric plays a key role in the construc tion of knowledge within this genre, i.e.

pharmacological research papers.

it helps the unfolding of the text and it becomes essential in persuading audience and obtain negotiation of the information conveyed.