Using the methodology of Grounded Theory, this study aims to identify and analyze the perceptions and functions of self-denigration in dissertation defenses. The data comprises transcripts of two focus group discussions and the disputation sections of a corpus of 53 applied linguistics doctoral defense sessions gathered from 14 Iranian state universities between 2019 and 2021. The findings suggest that self-denigration depends to a great extent on the role of the participants in a disputation, and it is used before or after a criticism or a response to criticism. The analysis of the data revealed that self-denigration as a sign of respectfulness and modesty in a defense contributes to social decorum, diffidence, coercive self-deprecation, contrived modesty, or flamboyance. This study highlights the importance of self-denigration in the oral academic discourse of EFL defense sessions and has pedagogical implications for oral academic literacy practices.

中文翻译：

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学术话语中的自我贬低

本研究使用扎根理论的方法，旨在识别和分析自我贬低在论文答辩中的认知和作用。该数据包括 2019 年至 2021 年间从 14 所伊朗国立大学收集的 53 场应用语言学博士答辩的语料库的两个焦点小组讨论的笔录和辩论部分。研究结果表明，自我贬低在很大程度上取决于争论的参与者，用于批评或回应批评之前或之后。数据分析表明，自我贬低作为防御中尊重和谦虚的标志会导致社交礼仪、缺乏自信、强迫性自我贬低、做作的谦虚或浮夸。