An introductory tour through appraisal theory 2

Subtypes of Appraisal

Attitude

Values by which speakers pass judgements and associate emotional/affectual responses with participants and processes (see underlined items)

Well, I've been listening to the two guys who are heroes [value judgement] and I admire [affect] them both.

Pop Group Republica - super-schlock stinkers only a Pepsi executive could ever love

Engagement

Resources for positioning the speaker's/author's voice with respect to the various propositions and proposals conveyed by a text; meanings by which speakers either acknowledge or ignore the diversity of view-points put at risk by their utterances and negotiate an interpersonal space for their own positions within that diversity.

For example:

• modals of probability - perhaps, it may..., I think..., surely
• reality phase - it seems,
• attribution (hearsay/projection) - his alleged ..., informed sources report ..., scientists have found evidence suggesting that,
• proclamation - In fact, I am compelled to conclude ..., It is true, we do have a small black and white cat
• expectation - predictably, of course,
• counter-expectation - amazingly

• etc

Graduation

Values by which (1) speakers graduate (raise or lower) the interpersonal impact, force or volume of their utterances, and (2) by which they graduate (blur or sharpen) the focus of their semantic categorisations.

1. (FORCE ) slightly, somewhat, very, completely

1. (FOCUS) I was feeling kind'v woozy, they effectively signed his death warrant; a true friend, pure folly

For example

[ABC redio interview]

MITCHELL:

There is an argument, though, is there [attribution], the banks have been a bit [graduation: force] greedy [attitude] I mean, the profits are high and good on them [attitude], they're entitled to have high profits, but at the same time the fees are bordering on [graduation: focus] the unreasonable [attitude] now.

PRIME MINISTER MR HOWARD:

Well, there's a lot of [graduation: force] anger [attitude: affect] about many [engagement: force] of the fees and this is really why, I say again, [engagement: proclamation] the more competition we can have the better [attitude]. And there's no doubt that [engagement: probability] home loan interest rates, in particular, are lower now because of competition.

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