Abstract: Since the appearance of metadiscourse in the field of applied linguistics, it has caused a steady interest among scholars. Two different traditions have formed in the research of metadiscourse: one which uses a narrow definition and sees reflexivity as the focus, and the other which uses a broad definition and sees textual interaction as fundamental to the category. In addition, the classification and approach of metadiscourse differs, which corresponds to the two definitional traditions. The rhetorical, pragmatic, textual, interpersonal and ideational functions of metadiscourse should not be defined based on the linguistic phenomenon, but the contextual information. In recent years, with various genres and rich corpus, metadiscourse research has developed broadly and extensively, covering written and spoken discourse, theoretical and applied field, as well as general and specific analysis.

Key words: metadiscourse, interactive model, reflexive model, thin approach, thick approach

摘要： 研究者在元话语的界定上存在不同看法，狭义元话语关注元话语的反身性，广义元话语关注作者与读者之间的互动，不同的元话语分类模式和研究范式也基于此产生。元话语所具有的修辞、语用、语篇、人际和概念功能不能仅凭语言现象来认定，应该结合元话语所处的上下文语境来分析。近年的元话语研究常常借助大型语料库，涵盖丰富的语域和体裁，涉及理论和应用研究，既有对元话语的整体概括，也有对个别现象的深入探讨，发展趋势多样。

关键词: 元话语, 互动模式, 反身模式, 薄式研究, 厚式研究