A Corpus-Based Study on Editorials

Abstract

The corpus of the study are English editorials with the theme Extra Judicial Killing. They were examined of their macrostructures or moves with reference to Hoey’s four moves Problem-Solution model or McCarthy’s three moves Claim-Counterclaim Model; and of their microstructures, the downtoner and subcategory according to Biber’s. Intuitive and semantic analyses were done including the functions of the downtoner either intersententially or intrasententially. Results revealed there are editorials which moves are consistent to either Hoey’s or McCarthy’s, or both. Also, there are editorials which neither belong to either model, labeled as ‘other.’ Caesura(s) seemed inevitable making the writer not to hedge or downtone. This researcher proposes a label for caesurae, the relevant or ‘R’ move. An Intuitive Model is also proposed for the entire text. As to the downtoners, careful analysis is needed to unmask downtoner adverb occurring as adverb per se but functions either a conjunction or an adjective.