Textual Example: Over-hedging

Compare the two examples below:

• Hedging language in highlighted in Red
• Signals of confidence are highlighted in Green. 

Example 1

[Source: Philosophy Undergraduate Paper]

"Perhaps, one of the strongest impressions one can take away from the Dialogues is the pessimistic, or even "contemptuous",1 attitude that Plato often adopts towards the human body ... Yet, at many other places in the Dialogues, Plato seems to take the opposite view. One possible example of this is where Plato suggests that the existence of a beneficent, rational, divine creator is seen in how the world is a beautiful, orderly and, thus, good place.  Furthermore, the first two ‘rungs’ of the so-called scala amoris appear to involve the recognition of the "kallos" (beauty)2 in the human body."

Example 2

[Source: Philosophy Undergraduate Paper]

"Perhaps, the strongest impression one can take away from the Dialogues is the pessimistic (or "contemptuous")1 attitude that Plato adopts towards the human body ... Yet, at many other places in the Dialogues, Plato seems to take the opposite view. An example of this is where Plato provides proof for the existence of a beneficent, rational, divine creator, by observing that the world is a beautiful, orderly and, thus, good place. Indeed, the first two ‘rungs’ of the so-called scala amoris involves the recognition of the "kallos" (beauty)2 in the human body." 

Analysis

Example 1 employs a large number of hedging construction in a seemingly indiscriminate manner. The effect is that the writing appears somewhat tentative and vague. Example 2 employs a more nuanced and tactical use of hedging and confidence language. The effect is that the level of evidence for each assertion is clearly signalled to the reader, while the overall tone of the writing is more assertive and concise.

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