UNDERSTATEMENTSAND HEDGES IN ENGLISH -- Editorial page -- Title page -- Table of contents -- PREFACE -- 0. INTRODUCTION -- 1. GUIDELINES TO UNDERSTATEMENTS AND HEDGES -- 1.1. The sentence and its negatability -- 1.1.1. Projective character of sentences -- 1.1.2. Negatability of sentences -- 1.2. Liability constraints of the sentence -- 1.2.1. Liability constraints and argumentation basis of the sentence -- 1.2.2. Liability and indetermination -- 1.2.3. Specification of the concept of indetermination -- 1.3. Working definition and working perspective -- 2. PHRASTIC INDETERMINATION AS A DEVICE FOR FORMING UNDERSTATEMENTS -- 2.1. Negation of predicates -- 2.1.1. Negation -- 2.1.1.1. Kinds of negation -- 2.1.1.2. Semantics of negation -- 2.1.2. Predicates -- 2.1.2.1. Delimitations -- 2.1.2.2. Scalability of adjectives -- 2.1.2.3. Scalability of verbs and nouns -- 2.1.3. Negative predications -- 2.1.3.1. Affixal negation of predicates -- 2.1.3.2. Free-morpheme negation of predicates -- 2.1.4. Summary -- 2.2. Detensification of predicates by grading adverbs -- 2.2.1. Grading -- 2.2.1.1. Grading and attributive modification -- 2.2.1.2. Grading and modal modification -- 2.2.1.3. Adverbs of degree -- 2.2.1.4. Classification of (detensifying) adverbs of degree -- 2.2.1.5. Detensification of predicates -- 2.2.1.6. Detensification and indetermination -- 2.2.2. Relationship of detensified and categorical predicates -- 2.2.2.1. Negativity and positivity -- 2.2.2.2. Speaker's perspective -- 2.2.2.3. Grammaticization and idiomaticity -- 2.2.2.4. Antonymicity -- 2.2.3. Summary -- 3. NEUSTIC INDETERMINATION AS A DEVICE FOR FORMING HEDGES -- 3.1. Factivity and modality -- 3.2. Questions -- 3.2.1. Question forms - assertion forms -- 3.2.2. Declarative questions -- 3.2.3. Biased questions and rhetorical questions -- 3.2.4. Tag q uestions.

3.2.5. Hedging function of questions -- 3.3. Modalized assertory assertions -- 3.3.1. General characterization -- 3.3.2. Repertoire of modal expressions -- 3.3.2.1. Parenthetical verbs -- 3.3.2.2. Modal adverbs -- 3.3.2.3. Modal verbs -- 3.3.2.4. Synopsis of modal expressions -- 3.3.3. Assertiveness of modal expressions -- 3.4. Summary -- 4. COMMUNICATIVE CONDITIONS FOR UNDERSTATEMENTS AND HEDGES -- 4.1. Another look at negatability of sentences -- 4.2. Communication as a possible threat to face -- 4.3. Understatements and hedges as face saving strategies -- 4.4. Face threatening acts and face saving strategies exemplified by praise and criticism -- 4.4.1. The socially expected norm as a criterion for praise and criticism -- 4.4.2. Calculating the seriousness of the threat to face -- 4.4.3. Calculating the effectiveness of face saving strategies -- 4.4.4. Choosing face saving strategies -- 4.4.5. Stylistic differences -- 4.5. Summary -- FOOTNOTES -- REFERENCES.