Abstract:This study aims to investigate the conversational implicature of the reported speech appearing in news discourses.This paper brings in the theories of Conversational Implicature and the four maxims of Cooperative Principle to analyze the reported speech in news discourses. Focusing mainly on the two news reports in China Daily, we explore how the reported speech is chosen to serve the communicational intention of the reporter and how the subjective intention is communicated through the reported speech in the news and thus affect the construction of discourse meaning. Study of this kind is of great help to the readers, who are to understand the reporter’s impact on the meaning of the news at a further level.

Key words: Conversational Implicature; reported speech; English news discourses; Cooperative Principles

CONTENTS

Abstract

中文摘要

1. Introduction-1

2. Theoretical Background-2

  2.1 A General Survey on News Discourse-2

  2.2 Classic Gricean’s Theory of Conversational Implicature and Cooperative Principle-3

3. The Role of Reported Speech in News Discourses-5

4. Case Analysis on Texts in China Daily-6

4.1 Case One-7

4.2 Case Two-9

5. Conclusion-11

Bibliography-12

Acknowledgements-13