A glance at attitudinal categories: Affect , Judgement and

Appreciation

Michael Freitas
Affect
AFFECT : evaluation by means of the writer/speaker
indicating how they are emotionally disposed to the
person, things , happenings or state of affairs.

Subcategories:
 Happiness X Unhappiness
 Security X Insecurity

 Satisfaction X Dissatisfaction
JUDGEMENT
JUDGEMENT covers meanings which serve to
evaluate human behaviour positively and negatively
by reference to a set of institutionalised norms.

 Subcategories:
 Normality

 Capacity

 Tenacity
Appreciation
• APPRECIATION is the system by which evaluations
are made of products and processes. That is, it can be
thought of as the system by which human feelings,
either or negative, towards products, processes and
entities are institutionalised as a set of evaluations.
• Subcategories:
• REACTION assesses the emotional impact
• COMPOSITION assesses the form
• VALUATION asseses the worth or significance
Perez Hilton
Mario Armando Lavandeira, Jr. (born March 23, 1978),
better known as Perez Hilton, is an American blogger
and television personality. His blog, Perezhilton.com
(formerly PageSixSixSix.com), is known for posts covering
gossip items about musicians, actors and celebrities. He is
also known for posting tabloid photographs over which he
has added his own captions or "doodles." His blog has
garnered negative attention for its attitude, its active
"outing" of alleged closeted celebrities and its role in the
increasing coverage of celebrities in all forms of media.
Caught using the “N” Word again!!!!
Mel Gibson RECORDED during Racist, Misogynistic Rant!
Posted: July 1, 2010 at 2:09 pm
Caught using the “N” Word again!!!!
Mel Gibson RECORDED during Racist, Misogynistic Rant!
Posted: July 1, 2010 at 2:09 pm

Selected Who What is Appraisal Sub-

examples appraises appraised caterogy category

Racist, Writer Gibson’s Composi criticise

Misogyn argumen tion
istic t with an
Rant afro-
woman
Holy shit!
Mel Gibson, you are a disgusting, vile, anti-semitic - and
now we know for certain - RACIST, piece of crap!
The actor, who is in the middle of a nasty custody
battle, was recorded by former girlfriend Oksana Grigorieva
saying absolutely horrific racial and misogynist slurs after he
threatened her life, and she realized she needed proof to
build a case against him court.
Holy shit!

Mel Gibson, (1) you are a disgusting, vile, anti-semitic - and

now we know for certain - RACIST, piece of crap!

The actor, who is in the middle of (2) a nasty custody battle,

was recorded by former girlfriend Oksana
Grigorieva(3)saying absolutely (4)horrific racial and
misogynist slurs after (5)he threatened her life, and she
realized she needed proof to build a case against him court.
 Appraisal analysis
Selected Who What’s Appraisal Sub
examples appraises appraised Category category
(1) Writer Mel gibson’ s Appreciation/ propriety/
behaviour Judgement composition
and his = condemn /
racism criticise
(2) Writer nasty Appreciation Composition
custody
battle
(3) Writer The form of Judgement Normality =
his saying criticise
(4) Writer Slurs ( ethnic appreciation Composition
depreciation) = criticise
(5) Writer The fact his Judgement Capacity =
threat to her criticise
The source claims:

"Oksana's motivation for recording this was to show

Mel how mean he was, and because she feared for her
life. She wanted to get evidence that he was
dangerous and violent. Mel is doing everything he can
to suppress this… they are the ranting of a mad man."
The source claims:

"Oksana's motivation for recording this was to show

Mel how (1) mean he was, and because (2) she feared
for her life. She wanted to get evidence that (3) he was
dangerous and violent. Mel is doing everything he can
to suppress this… (4)they are the ranting of a mad
man."
Appraisal Analysis
Selected Who What’s Appraisal Sub
examples appraises appraised Category category
(1) Source(writer) Gibson Judgement Normality =
behaviour to criticise
his ex-wife
(2) Source(writer) Her fear of the Affect insecurity
circumnstance
(3) Source(writer) His treatment Judgement Capacity =
to her criticise
(4) Source(writer) his arguments Appreciation/ Composition /
(implicit) judgement normality =
implied criticise
 Gibson is heard on the tapes saying the following. WARNING,
this is truly offensive and disturbing stuff:

"You're an embarrassment to me. You look like a f***ing pig in

heat, and if you get raped by a pack of n***ers, it will be your fault.
How dare you act like such a b**** when I have been so f***ing nice. I
am going to come and burn the f***ing house down… but you will
blow me first. Look what you did to me… look what you are… look
what every part of you is… f***ing fake… f***ing fake. You are the
most synthetic person… who the f*** are you?"
 Gibson is heard on the tapes saying the following.
WARNING, this is truly offensive and disturbing stuff:

"You're an (1)embarrassment to me. You look like (2) a f***ing

pig in heat, and if you get raped by a pack of n***ers, it will be your
fault. (3) How dare you act like such a b**** when I have been so
f***ing nice. (4)I am going to come and burn the f***ing house down…
but you will blow me first. Look what you did to me… look what you
are… look what every part of you is… (5) f***ing fake… f***ing fake.
You are the (6) most synthetic person… who the f*** are you?"
 Appraisal Analysis
Selected Who appraises What’s Appraisal sub
examples appraised category category
(1) M. Gibson Implicit (his Affect Dissatisfaction
ex-wife)
(2) M. Gibson Implicit (his Judgment Normality =
ex-wife) criticise

(3) M. Gibson Implicit (his Judgment Normality=

ex-wife) criticise

(4) M. Gibson Implicit (his Judgement Capacity =

ex-wife) criticise

(5) M.Gibson Implicit (his judgement Normality =

ex-wife) criticise
(6) M. Gibson Implicit (his judgment normality =
ex-wife) criticise
Honestly, there are no words.

What a sorry excuse for a human being. At least

now he's completely fucked himself and any chance of
credibility again.

Congratulations, fucktard! Now the world knows

what a vile scumbag you are!
Honestly, there are no words.

What a sorry excuse for a human being. At least

now he's completely (1) fucked himself and any
chance of credibility again.

Congratulations, (2)fucktard! Now the world

knows what (3) a vile scumbag you are!
Appraisal analysis
Selected Who What’s Appraisal Sub
examples appraises appraised category category
(1) Writer Gibson’s Judgement Normality =
attitude to his criticise
ex-wife
(2) Writer Gibson Affect Dissatisfaction

(3) Writer Gibson judgment Veracity

(criticise)
Conclusion
By using negative attributes, Perez, makes clear his
opinion about Gibson, and an influenced reader may
easily believe that Gibson is guilt.

It is quite obvious that his objective is to shock

readers he could, as his blog did, suppress his
opinion, but as it is his characteristic he prefers to
show his view and opinion about Gibson!
References:
DROGA, L. & HUMPHREY, S. Getting Started with
Functional Grammar. Marrickville, AU: Target Texts,
2002.
MARTIN, J. R. & WHITE, P. P. R. The Language of
Evaluation. New York: Playgrave Macmillan, 2005.
WHITE, P. An introductory tour through appraisal
theory. The appraisal Website –
http://www.grammatics.com/appraisal/index.html .
Website: http://www. perezhilton.com (formerly
PageSixSixSix.com)