本硏究では日本人の大學生の會話に見られる「思う」の使用樣相をヘッジ用法を中心に親疎要因と性別要因と絡めて調べてみた。本硏究を通して「思う」は實際の會話の中で「思考動詞」としてより自分の意見を直接かつ斷定的に表出せず發話を和らげる「ヘッジ」として多く使われていることが分かった。ヘッジとして使われる「思う」は、性別とは關係なく友達同士の會話より初對面の會話において使用割合が高く、これあ心的距離感のある初對面の相手に對して斷定的に自分の意見を言うことを回避することで、相手を配慮するための言語的な方略とも解釋することができる。一方、ヘッジ用法の「思う」はすべて引用助詞と共起しており、さらに斷定回避の意味を强化するために「たぶん」のような不確實性を示す副詞と共起することもあった。また、ヘッジ用法の「思う」は、主に私的な情報を表す狀況で使われていることも明らかになった。

This study investigated the usage of “Omou” focused on the function of hedge. This study examined for which functions “Omou” are used in conversations by analyzing conversations of native Japanese university students who are in their 20s. The conversation took place among friends of the same age and first meeting students. The use of "Omou" was divided into “Thinking verb” and “Hedge”. The results of the usage of "Omou" discussed in this study are summarized as follows.In both conversations between friends and first meeting students regardless of gender, it found that ‘Omou’ was used more as ‘Hedge’ than ‘Thinking verb’. The ratio of use of ‘omou’ as hedge was higher in the conversation between first meeting than in the conversation between friends regardless of gender. It can be interpreted as a linguistic strategy for consideration to talking partner in their first meeting .The ‘omou’ as hedge was used together with the quoting particles and was used together with adverbs that showed uncertainty such as "tabun" in order to strengthen the meaning of the avoidance of assertion. Also, it can be seen that ‘omou’ as hedge was mainly used in the situation of showing private information.