English for Pecific

The neglect of acknowledgements in the EAP literature is perhaps surprising given their importance in the scholarly communication process. While unrelated to the important academic goals of establishing claims and reputations, the significance of this optional genre is confirmed by its widespread use and the role it plays in the academic practice of reciprocal gift giving. Acknowledgements are almost universal in dissertation writing where they provide writers with a unique rhetorical opportunity not only to convey their genuine gratitude for the intellectual and personal assistance they have received in completing their research, but also to promote a competent scholarly identity by displaying their immersion in scholarly networks, their active disciplinary membership, and their observance of the valued academic ideals of modesty, gratitude and appropriate self-effacement. This paper discusses the importance of this genre and examines the generic structure of the acknowledgements accompanying 240 PhD and MA dissertations written by non-native speakers of English in a variety of disciplines at five Hong Kong universities. 2003 The American University. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. The past decade or so has seen increasing attention given to the notion of genre and its application in language teaching and learning. This interest has particularly assisted ESP teachers because it has helped to show how language is used in various contexts and how we can apply this knowledge in our classrooms. Among the most important insights revealed by the detailed study of texts is that academic and occupational genres are not purely informational but often rely on accomplishing an audience-sensitive interpersonal tone for their success. In particular, studies have * Tel.: +852-2788-8873; fax: +852-2788-68894. E-mail address: [email protected] (K. Hyland). 0889-4906/$20.0