Emotion and appraisal processes in language
How are they related?
Laura Alba-Juez | Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED), Spain
This study discusses theoretical and methodological aspects of the relationship between appraisal and emotion processes in language/discourse. Taking as my point of departure both Appraisal Theory and Geoff Thompson’s later review thereof, I argue that despite their invaluable illumination of appraisal and emotion processes, these approaches cannot elucidate the complex similarities and differences between appraisal and emotion. I sketch a more interdisciplinary approach that draws not only on functional linguistics but also on linguistic pragmatics and psychological appraisal theories. I then propose a modified version of the functional relationship applied for the analysis of linguistic evaluation in my previous work as a methodological tool for the treatment of emotion in language, clearing the ground for future large-scale qualitative projects on the topic.
Article outline
- 1.Introduction
- 1.1Main argument
- 1.2Research questions, main hypothesis, and corpus used
- 1.3Some basic problems
- 1.3.1How to approach and define emotion
- 1.3.2The terms used for the categories of emotion
- 1.3.3The pragmatics of emotion
- 2.Evaluation and emotion in functional linguistics and Appraisal Theory: Discussion of further possibilities of analysis
- 2.1Emotion talk and emotional talk in combination with the appraisal model systems
- 3.Beyond Thompson’s view: In search of a more complete picture
- 4.The method proposed
- 5.Final reflections and conclusions
-
Acknowledgements
-
Notes
-
References
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