An Analysis of a TED Speech from the Perspective of Interpersonal Meta-function

Abstract

Under the guidance of the interpersonal meta-function theory of systemic functional grammar, this paper studied the mood, modality, and personal pronouns of a TED speech and drew the following conclusions: speakers more often used declarative sentences to convey information, more often used the first person to narrow the distance with the audience, and more often used low-value and median-value modal verbs to reduce the sense of pressure on the audience, which is conducive to the acceptance of the speaker's views. It is hoped that the above conclusions can be helpful for people who are starting to learn how to deliver a speech.