A Study of the Interpersonal Function of Feminist Speech Discourse Based on the Anne Hathaway’s Speech in B20 Summit

Based on the interpersonal function of Halliday’s systematic functional linguistics, the current paper studies the tone system and modality system of the speech delivered by Anne Hathaway in B20 Indonesia Summit, so as to explore the achievement of interpersonal function of speech discourse. The research findings indicate that: Firstly, the declarative sentences with the function of providing and obtaining information occupy the largest proportion in the discourse; Secondly, speakers frequently use the first person for information output; Finally, for the choice of modal verbs, speakers often choose high-value modal verbs to express strong demands and wishes. To sum up, the appropriate use of tone system, personal system and modality system not only contribute to the construction of speech objectivity and the speaker’s power of speech, but also help to arouse the audience’s resonance. The results of the research deepen the audience’s understanding of interpersonal function, and provide a referential direction for feminist speech text research.