Hedging language
Language that acknowledges the tentative nature of interpretation, using phrases like 'might suggest', 'could imply', 'arguably', 'appears to'. Hedging language demonstrates that literary interpretation is reasoned argument, not absolute fact.
Real World
When reviewing 'The Great Gatsby', the New York Times critic wrote that Fitzgerald 'appears to suggest' the American Dream is self-defeating — hedging because the novel's irony allows multiple readings.
Exam Focus
Use 'might suggest' or 'could imply' to signal interpretation; examiners reward intellectual tentativeness over unfounded certainty.
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