COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF PROMOTIONAL METADISCURSIVE MARKERS IN RUSSIAN AND CHINESE LINGUISTIC JOURNAL ARTICLES

Abstract

The article examines the ways, in which metadiscursive markers are used to promote research results in Russian-language and Chinese-language academic discourse. The empirical basis consists of 120 linguistic research articles published in 2023-2025: 60 articles in Russian and 60 articles in Chinese, selected from three leading journals in each language. The study combines K. Hyland’s model of metadiscourse with qualitative discourse interpretation and non-parametric statistical procedures. Special attention is paid to transition markers, frame markers, endophoric markers, evidentials, code glosses, hedges, boosters, attitude markers, self-mentions and engagement markers. The comparison shows that Chinese-language articles rely more visibly on transitions and code glosses, while Russian-language articles more actively use boosters, attitude markers, hedges and endophoric references. These differences are interpreted not as mechanical frequency contrasts, but as manifestations of distinct academic writing conventions, different modes of authorial presence and different expectations about how a reader should be guided through an argument. The results refine the description of promotional strategy in comparative academic discourse studies and may be applied in academic writing instruction, intercultural pragmatics and translator training.