From Categories to Decisions: A Framework for Attitudinal Analysis of Evaluative Language

Abstract

The study reported in this paper aims to contribute to the development of an annotation scheme for evaluative language, based on Appraisal Theory, that addresses key sources of classification problems. In particular. it aims to develops a unified annotation scheme that proposes (1) a three-component annotation model comprising Appraiser, Appraised and Appraisal Element, (2) the operationalised distinction between Affect and Appreciation governed by a criterion of experiencer salience and a criterion distinguishing personal emotions from evaluations of conduct, and (3) a decision framework for the Judgement-Appreciation distinction structured on the target and lexis types operating through override conditions and substitution tests. The revised framework is illustrated with examples selected from a corpus of news discourse in English and is designed to be replicable across future Appraisal-based studies of evaluative language.

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