INTRODUCTION
Rationale
The rising concern over plastic straws has gained significant attention, as these seemingly innocuous items contribute to a staggering 150 million tons of plastic pollution in the oceans With approximately 8.5 billion plastic straws discarded annually, and about 91% of plastic not being recycled, municipalities and corporations are beginning to take action against this environmental threat Efforts to raise public awareness include various media formats such as talks, videos, and documentaries, highlighting the importance of addressing this issue The effectiveness of news reports in reflecting social concerns relies on both the significance of the issues and the ability of reporters to effectively communicate their messages to the audience.
Appraisal Theory, developed by linguists James Martin and Peter White in the 1980s and 1990s, posits that emotions arise from our evaluations of events, leading to varied reactions among individuals This theory suggests that our emotional responses are directly influenced by our appraisals of situations According to Martin & White (2005), the Appraisal Theory framework provides a unique approach to understanding how language is utilized to evaluate, adopt stances, and manage interpersonal relationships Consequently, it serves as an effective tool for analyzing expressions of attitude and interpersonal meanings across diverse discourses, including literature, advertisements, speeches, news, and academic texts.
There have been some studies carried out, employing the Appraisal Theory as a theoretical framework In respect of English literary works, Liu
In a series of studies, researchers have explored the application of Appraisal Theory in various contexts A case study by (2013) examined evaluative language in high-rated versus low-rated English argumentative essays among EFL students in two Chinese universities Hadidi & Mohammadbagheri-Parvin (2015) conducted an attitudinal analysis of F Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby." Xiaolin Liu (2010) implemented Appraisal Theory in the teaching process to enhance student outcomes in English Vo Duy Duc (2011) analyzed journalistic voices in English-Vietnamese hard news reports through the lens of Appraisal Theory Furthermore, Nguyen Thi Thu Hien (2016) investigated social attitudes in news reports regarding President Obama's visit, demonstrating the theory's relevance in understanding media narratives.
Appraisal Theory has been widely applied across various genres, highlighting its importance in understanding evaluative language However, a notable gap exists in the contrastive study of attitudinal resources in English and Vietnamese news reports regarding plastic straws This gap motivates my research on the attitudinal aspects of news reports about plastic straws.
“A Contrastive Study of Attitudinal resources in English and Vietnamese News
Aim and objectives
This study focuses on analyzing the attitudinal resources present in English and Vietnamese news reports regarding plastic straws, aiming to identify the similarities and differences in how authors from both languages express their perspectives on this issue.
For the aforementioned aim to be fulfilled, the research concentrated on the following objectives:
- To identify the Attitudinal resources in English and Vietnamese news reports on plastic straws and their occurrence to reveal the choice of language of evaluation in the reports;
- To discuss the similarities and discrepancies regarding the Attitudinal resource in English and Vietnamese news reports on plastic straws.
Research questions
The study addresses itself to answering the two following questions:
1 Which Attitudinal resources are used and how often are they used in English and Vietnamese news reports on plastic straws? luan van tot nghiep download luanvanfull moi nhat z z @gmail.com Luan van thac si
2 What are the similarities and differences of the Attitudinal resources in English news reports and those in Vietnamese news reports on plastic straws?
Scope of the study
Though the Appraisal Theory is composed of three domains, precisely
This study examines the attitudinal resources of Affect, Judgment, and Appreciation, highlighting their importance in understanding attitudes related to engagement and graduation The research utilizes a dataset comprising 10 news reports authored by English writers and 10 by Vietnamese authors, all focused on plastic straws and sourced from reputable websites.
Significance of the study
This study aims to enhance the understanding and interpretation of attitudinal values from both theoretical and practical perspectives It emphasizes the importance of Appraisal Theory as a framework for analyzing evaluative language By exploring attitudinal values in English and Vietnamese news reports, this research offers a fresh approach for readers interested in evaluative language Additionally, it serves as a valuable resource for Vietnamese teachers and learners of English, providing practical implications for improving English-speaking skills in both classroom settings and everyday communication.
Organization of the study
This study consists of five main chapters, as follows:
Chapter 1, Introduction, introduces the rationale, the aim and objectives luan van tot nghiep download luanvanfull moi nhat z z @gmail.com Luan van thac si
5 of the study, research questions, the scope of the study, the significance of the study and organization of the study
Chapter 2, Literature Review, explores Appraisal Theory, highlighting its sub-systems: Attitude, Engagement, and Graduation, with a particular focus on Attitudinal aspects Additionally, it provides a succinct overview of prior research relevant to the topics being examined.
Chapter 3, Research Methodology, discusses research methods of research, comprising data collection, data analysis, the reliability and validity of the research
Chapter 4, Findings and Discussion presents the analysis and results of the study, focusing on the attitudinal resources and their frequency in news reports about plastic straws The study highlights both the similarities and differences among three sub-types of attitude.
English and Vietnamese news reports on plastic straws are revealed and discussed
Chapter 5 presents a summary of the research findings, highlights implications for English teaching and learning, and addresses the limitations of the study It also offers recommendations for future research endeavors.
This chapter outlines the foundational elements of the thesis, beginning with the rationale and progressing through the study's aim, objectives, research questions, scope, significance, and organization Essentially, Chapter 1 provides a comprehensive overview of the subsequent chapters, helping to establish a clear research framework.
LITERATURE REVIEW
Appraisal Theory
2.1.1 An overview of Appraisal Theory
Appraisal Theory was put forward by a group of researchers led by Professor James Martin of the Linguistics Department at University of Sydney in the 1900s (Ruo-mei, 2016)
J.R Martin & David Rose (2003) indicate that Appraisal is a system of interpersonal meanings We use the resources of Appraisal for negotiating our social relationships, by telling our listeners or readers how we feel about things and people
Appraisal Theory, as noted by Martin & White (2005), is a specific framework for analyzing language that helps in expressing attitudes, judgments, and opinions This theory explores how speakers and writers convey their perspectives to engage with like-minded individuals while distancing themselves from those with differing views, thereby shaping interpersonal relationships and textual identities.
Appraisal Theory, as highlighted by Martin (2000), examines how speakers and writers convey their attitudes, judgments, and emotional responses in texts, both explicitly and implicitly This theory is utilized to analyze discourse resources that help negotiate social relationships by expressing feelings about relevant individuals or subjects.
Appraisal Theory provides a framework for evaluating people, events, objects, and processes through language Its primary purpose is to assist writers and speakers in expressing positive or negative assessments of the subjects and situations addressed in their texts (Martin & White, 2005).
According to Martin & David Rose (2004), appraisal serves as a system of interpersonal meaning that helps structure our social relationships They emphasize that the resources of appraisal are employed to communicate our feelings and attitudes towards people and things, thereby keeping our listeners or readers informed.
Appraisal Theory, as noted by Richards & Schmidt (2010, p 30), is an evolving concept in discourse and conversation analysis that focuses on how attitudes are expressed This theory encompasses various aspects such as certainty, emotional responses, social evaluations, and intensity, which can be conveyed through specific lexical items or entire clauses.
Appraisal Theory can be considered “a framework for investigating the mechanisms language employs in the evaluation and adaptation of stances adopted by discourse producers” (Hadidi & Mohammadbagheri-Parvin, 2015, p 131)
Martin & White (2005, p 34-35) introduce the outline of Appraisal framework which is divided into three groups of evaluation resources, namely
Engagement, Gradation, and Attitude are key components of appraisal systems Attitude focuses on our emotional responses, behavioral judgments, and evaluations, while Engagement emphasizes the sourcing of attitudes and the interplay of voices in discourse Graduation pertains to the amplification of feelings and the blurring of categories An overview of these systems is illustrated in Figure 2.1.
Figure 2 1 An overview of Appraisal resources
Engagement, as defined by Martin & White (2005), involves the linguistic tools that speakers and writers use to express their stance on the values referenced in a text and towards their audience It consists of two sub-types: Monogloss and
Heterogloss While Monogloss relates to factual information (single voice), Hetergloss gets involved in multiple voices which consist of Contract and
FOCUS sharpen soften luan van tot nghiep download luanvanfull moi nhat z z @gmail.com Luan van thac si
In discussions about contracts, the speaker often shares personal opinions alongside others' perspectives Similarly, when expanding on a topic, the speaker introduces a current proposition that represents just one of many possible viewpoints, fostering an inclusive dialogue and inviting additional participants into the conversation Contracting involves elements of denial and counterarguments, enriching the discourse.
Proclaim (Concur, Pronounce, and Endorse), Expand consists of Entertain
(internal voice of speaker) and Attribute (external sources)
2.1.3 Graduation Graduation is defined as the one that “attends to grading phenomena whereby feelings are amplified and categories blurred” (Martin & White,
2005, p 35) It is divided into two categories, namely Force and Focus
According to Martin & White (2005), Force encompasses evaluations of both intensity and quantity, manifested through Intensification and Quantification Intensification specifically measures the degree of intensity by scaling qualities or processes, achieved through methods such as Isolating (up-scaling or down-scaling), Infusing, or Repetition.
Force values are typically gradable, except when it comes to Focus, which pertains to class membership and indicates the strength of that membership The two key elements of Focus are Sharpen, which enhances the membership, and Soften, which diminishes it.
It is irrefutable that a thorough analysis may be obtained by utilizing
Engagement and graduation are used to identify sources and levels of evaluation, but they do not significantly contribute to the objectives of this study and are therefore not analyzed.
The Attitude appraisal system is one of the three types and is crucial for analysis in this study Consequently, it encompasses various subtypes that are essential for understanding its significance.
10 work as a framework to uncover evaluative language in English and Vietnamese news reports towards plastic straws Therefore, a detailed description of Attitudinal resources is presented in the following section
Attitude is one of the three sub-systems of the Appraisal Theory
Attitude, as defined by Martin & White (2005, p 35), encompasses our feelings, emotional reactions, behavioral judgments, and evaluations of various subjects It serves as a crucial tool for speakers and writers to convey their perspectives, express both positive and negative feelings towards participants, and provide assessments of different matters.
The Appraisal sub-system of Attitude encompasses three key semantic areas: emotion, ethics, and aesthetics These areas are expressed through various clusters of grammatical structures, particularly adjectives.
Application of Appraisal Theory in discourse analysis
In the light of Appraisal Theory, a productive theoretical framework, a lot of scientific investigations have been conducted in different discourses like English literary works, news discourse, academic and narrative discourse
By drawing Appraisal Theory as an analytical framework, Painter
In 2003, a study investigated the development of children's resources for expressing emotional and moral evaluations, focusing on the interaction between implicit and explicit attitudinal expressions in mother-child conversations The research highlighted the significance of Attitude in language development, concluding that expressions of Affect are gradable even in their pre-lexical forms Additionally, it emphasized the importance of differentiating Affect into institutionalized forms.
Judgment and Appreciation may involve semiotic moves that encourage reflective awareness of the meaning system itself
Xiaolin Liu (2010) explored the application of Appraisal Theory in college English reading instruction, aiming to address challenges in English reading education in China The study revealed that utilizing Appraisal Theory significantly enhances students' reading comprehension, allowing for a deeper understanding of reading materials.
Appraisal Theory serves as a valuable strategy for enhancing critical thinking skills It offers Chinese English teachers a fresh perspective on teaching reading in English.
A study by Xinghua Liu and Thompson (2009) examined the attitude choices of a Chinese undergraduate when writing essays in English and Chinese The findings revealed that the Chinese essay contained fewer affect and judgment items, indicating a tendency to avoid direct ethical or moral evaluations and personal emotional disclosures This approach, aimed at face-saving and self-protection, reflects a cultural practice in Chinese language and rhetoric that prioritizes social harmony.
Xinghua Liu (2013) advanced Appraisal Theory through a case study examining evaluative language in high- and low-rated English argumentative essays by Chinese university EFL students The findings revealed that the high-rated essay effectively utilized appraisal values to enhance the author's voice and engage readers This research highlights the need for a greater focus on teaching EFL/ESL writing from an interpersonal perspective.
21 proposes the necessity of explaining EFL/ESL students‟ use of evaluative language from both linguistic and socio-cultural perspectives
An attitudinal analysis of F Scott Fitzgerald's novel "The Great Gatsby" was conducted by Hadidi & Mohammadbagheri-Parvin (2015), focusing on discursive, linguistic, and stylistic elements through the Appraisal framework, specifically the Attitude subsystem The study revealed that attitudinal resources were organized in a predictable sequence of Appreciation, Judgment, and Affect Furthermore, the analysis indicated that the use of Attitude was stylistically reflective of the characters and the context within the novel.
Pascual & Unger (2010) investigated Appraisal in research genres, revealing that most proposals exhibit high levels of Heteroglossia Their findings indicate that authors primarily utilize Engagement resources to invite rather than challenge the perspectives of their colleagues, suggesting an effort to engage a diverse audience.
Li (2016) utilized the Appraisal Theory to examine various English song discourses, focusing on the division of Attitudinal resources This analysis seeks to uncover the linguistic features within English song lyrics, enhancing readers' comprehension of the emotions conveyed by the authors Additionally, it highlights the importance of attitude in fostering interpersonal connections between the authors and their audience.
Vo Duy Duc (2011) conducted a comparative analysis of the stylistic, structural, and ideological characteristics of English and Vietnamese business news reporting, utilizing a specific analytical framework.
Appraisal Theory developed by Martin and White (2005) as an analytical tool
The study dealt with investigating whether the business hard news reporting luan van tot nghiep download luanvanfull moi nhat z z @gmail.com Luan van thac si
The study revealed that English and Vietnamese business texts share a similar structural framework and utilize a comparable reporter voice However, significant differences were observed in how key social groups are represented, highlighting the distinct ideologies inherent in each language.
Additionally, Appraisal Theory was also applied to examine the social attitudes in news reports towards an important event Nguyen Thi Thu Hien
(2016) carried out a research to uncover the social attitudes in news reports towards President Obama‟s visit to Vietnam The research claimed that
Appraisal Theory serves as an effective tool for analyzing Vietnamese language discourse, uncovering various aspects of sentiment, including appraisers, appraisal objects, and the biases of both appraisers and writers The analysis reveals that appraisers convey their attitudes towards five appraisal objects with a predominance of positive feelings, emotions, and judgments Furthermore, appraisers focus more on expressing their own emotions and evaluating entities related to Obama's visit rather than commenting on people's behavior The findings indicate a tendency among appraisers to adopt a cautious stance, often refraining from expressing their opinions.
Numerous master's theses have explored attitudinal resources through the lens of Appraisal Theory, utilizing a diverse range of discourses These include English advertising slogans (Nguyen Thi Minh Ngan, 2017), judges' comments (Nguyen Thanh Tri, 2018; Le Huu Loc, 2019), product advertisements (Pham Thi Thuy Ngoc, 2017), love song lyrics (Nguyen Thi Ngan, 2018), and film reviews (Vo Thuy Trieu, 2019; Phan Thi Thanh Hoa, 2017).
From the previous studies, it can be seen that there has been a wide luan van tot nghiep download luanvanfull moi nhat z z @gmail.com Luan van thac si
The application of Appraisal Theory in research is extensive, yet its use to analyze attitudinal resources in English and Vietnamese news reports on plastic straws remains rare This study aims to utilize news reports to reveal a distinct form of evaluative language.
Chapter 2 provides a comprehensive overview of Appraisal Theory, which serves as the foundational theoretical framework for this study It discusses three key groups of evaluative resources: Engagement, Attitude, and Gradation.
However, since the research concentrates on appraisers‟ attitude, only Attitude was analyzed in this study A detailed description of the three sub-types:
The article discusses Affect, Judgment, and Appreciation, along with a concise review of prior studies utilizing Appraisal Theory to highlight existing research gaps.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research Design
This study utilized a mixed-methods approach, combining qualitative and quantitative analyses The qualitative component focused on examining attitudinal resources through English and Vietnamese news reports Subsequently, the quantitative analysis assessed the frequency of Affect, Judgment, Appreciation, and their sub-types within these reports This quantitative investigation was crucial in revealing the prevalence of attitudinal resources identified in the study.
The analysis and synthesis techniques were effectively combined during the examination process The analytical approach helped identify and isolate specific elements for focus, while the synthetic approach emphasized the interconnections among these components.
To achieve the study's objectives, a combination of methods was employed, including descriptive, inductive, comparative, and contrast techniques The descriptive method provided a clear depiction of Affect, Judgment, and Appreciation, while the inductive method facilitated the synthesis of findings and conclusions Additionally, comparative and contrast methods highlighted the similarities and differences in the Attitudinal resources found in English and Vietnamese news reports on plastic straws.
Data Collection
Ten English and ten Vietnamese news reports on plastic straws were luan van tot nghiep download luanvanfull moi nhat z z @gmail.com Luan van thac si
The analysis included 25 reports sourced from various online national newspapers, including Thanhnien, Tuoitre, Vietnamnet, TuanVietnam, and Vnexpress, as well as international outlets like National Geographic, The Guardian, Global News, and Reuters These reports varied in length from 799 to 1815 words and were utilized to examine evaluative language, adhering to specific standards of lexical meaning and grammatical structures.
English news reports on plastic straws were listed as follows
1 https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/banning-plastic-straws-will-not- be enough-fight-clean-oceans
2 https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/aug/25/plastic-straw-ban- california-people-with-disabilities
3 https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/jul/19/trump-plastic-straws
4 https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/07/style/plastic-straw-alternatives
5 https://www.nps.gov/articles/straw-free
6 https://www.reuters.com/article/us-starbucks-straws/starbucks-to-phase- out-plastic-straws-as-opposition-to-them-grows 7.https://edition.cnn.com/2018/10/22/opinions/plastic-straws-ban-opinion
8 https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/plastic-straws-clog-ocean-hurt- fish-now-there-s-growing
9 https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/kidspost/plastic-straws-are-little- but-they-are-part-of-a-huge-problem
10 https://www.reuters.com/article/us-environment-canada-plastics/plastic- straws-and-bags-no-more-canada-aims-to-clean-up-its-act The following websites were about Vietnamese news reports on plastic straws
1 https://vnexpress.net/khong-dung-ly-ong-hut-nhua-y-nghia-hay-chay-theo- phong-trao luan van tot nghiep download luanvanfull moi nhat z z @gmail.com Luan van thac si
2 https://phapluat.tuoitrethudo.com.vn/ong-hut-giay-tot-hon-ong-hut-nhua- nhung-co-thuc-su-vi-moi-truong
3 https://tuoitre.vn/ong-hut-co-tui-giay-co-bao-ve-moi-truong-nhieu-nhu- ban-nghi
4 https://tuoitre.vn/31-quan-ca-phe-o-da-nang-noi-khong-voi-do-nhua
5 http://khampha.vn/khoa-hoc-cong-nghe/ong-hut-nhua-co-phai-la-ke-thu- that-su-cua-hanh-tinh-nay
6 https://baodautu.vn/nestle-milo-ra-mat-ong-hut-giay-cho-san-pham-milo- bua-sang-khuyen-khich-thoi-quen-tieu-dung-xanh
7 https://tuoitre.vn/ong-hut-nhua-ke-giet-nguoi-tham-lang
8 https://tuoitre.vn/trao-luu-khong-dung-ong-hut-nhua-cua-gioi-tre-viet
9 https://www.nhandan.com.vn/baothoinay/baothoinay- xahoi/item/42696602-xu-huong-tieu-dung-xanh
10 https://baobihuuco.com/tai-sao-ong-hut-nhua-dang-dan-bi-cam-tren-the-gioi
Data Analysis
The Attitude system in Appraisal Theory served as the theoretical framework for analyzing data collected from English and Vietnamese news reports Data were manually encoded, with English reports labeled E1 to E321 and Vietnamese reports from V1 to V317 The analysis focused on Attitudinal resources, including Affect, Judgment, and Appreciation, along with their sub-categories, across twenty news reports Quantitative methods were employed to determine the frequency of these resources, revealing the evaluative language used and highlighting the similarities and differences in Attitudinal resources between English and Vietnamese news reports.
Research procedures
There were specific steps followed by the author, presented as follows: luan van tot nghiep download luanvanfull moi nhat z z @gmail.com Luan van thac si
This article focuses on the collection of ten English and ten Vietnamese news reports regarding plastic straws from various national and international online newspapers The reports are categorized into two distinct groups: English news reports on plastic straws and Vietnamese news reports on plastic straws.
- encoding EPSNRs from E1 to E321 and VPSNRs from V1 to V317;
- analyzing the Attitudinal resources in the corpus of VPSNRs andEPSNRs;
- giving out the frequencies / percentage of occurrence of the resources;
- carrying out a contrastive analysis to uncover the similarities and differences in terms of the language of evaluation in both languages;
- evaluating and discussing the comparison results to indicate research findings;
- putting forwards implications for teaching and learning English;
Reliability and validity in the research
The reliability was secured because Appraisal Theory by Martin and
This study is grounded in the framework established by White (2005) and utilizes data sourced from reputable and verified websites, including Thanhnien, Tuoitre, Vietnamnet, TuanVietnam, Vnexpress, National Geographic, The Guardian, Global News, and Reuters.
The research data demonstrated originality and met the required validity standards, as it had not been previously used in any studies related to Attitudinal resources.
FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS
The overall usage of the Attitude resources in EPSNRs and VPSNRs 28 4.2 Affect resources in EPSNRs and VPSNRs
The investigation into the 20 news reports grouped into the two corpora
Attitudinal resources are utilized in both English and Vietnamese Positive Sentiment Narrative Resources (EPSNRs and VPSNRs) An overview of the distribution of attitudinal values in these resources is presented in Table 4.1.
Table 4 1 Attitude sub-types in EPSNRs and VPSNRs Sub-categories of
As can be seen in Table 4.1, the findings reveal that there are totally
The analysis reveals 321 attitudinal values in EPSNRs and 317 in VPSNRs, with all three subtypes of Attitude—Affect, Judgement, and Appreciation—identified Notably, Appreciation is the most prevalent subtype in this genre across both languages Furthermore, the proportion of Appreciation resources in EPSNRs and VPSNRs is significantly higher compared to other categories.
Both English and Vietnamese writers show a strong preference for Appreciation resources, with rates of 42.7% and 57.7%, respectively This indicates a common focus on evaluating the use and properties of plastic straws Additionally, English writers exhibit a greater emphasis on Judgment, with 29% in EPSNRs compared to 17.1% in VPSNRs, while the instances of Affect in EPSNRs are slightly higher than those in VPSNRs.
Affect employed in EPSNRs is 28.3 % while that in VPSNRs is 25.2% The following are examples of the three Attitudinal resources including Affect, Judgment, and Appreciation found in English and Vietnamese
Both English and Vietnamese data reveal similarities in how emotional expressions related to straws are conveyed by individuals and companies, as evidenced in [V294].
Trong chuyến công tác tại Đà Nẵng, tôi đã ghé thăm một quán cà phê trên đường Ông Ích Khiêm và ấn tượng nhất với việc sử dụng ống hút tre tại đây.
It can be seen that ấn tượng nhất in [V294] is utilized to express the writer‟s support towards bamboo straws
Both English and Vietnamese authors utilize Judgment to convey their efforts in combating plastic straws, as illustrated in examples [E297] and [V252].
[E297] More and more restaurants are trying [+Judg-Cap] to stop using plastic straws
Nhiều doanh nghiệp đã đầu tư vào nghiên cứu để phát triển sản phẩm ống hút thân thiện với môi trường, nhằm xây dựng thương hiệu xanh và thúc đẩy phát triển bền vững.
The term "trying" highlights restaurants' efforts to eliminate plastic straws Additionally, the Vietnamese writer uses the phrase "nỗ lực" to emphasize the commitment of certain businesses to this initiative.
30 made to introduce environmentally friendly straws to meet the social demand
The analysis of EPSNRs and VPSNRs reveals the challenges faced by both consumers and entrepreneurs regarding the properties of plastic straws, as highlighted in studies [E200], [E205], and [V295].
[E200] Even for those consumers who recycle plastic items, a straw is so small [-App-Val]
[E205] So it’s really challenging [-App-Comp] in our existing sortation system to be able to sort it out
[V295] Mấy trăm triệu cái ống hút này được sản xuất bằng nhựa hỗn tạp, kích thước nhỏ [-App-Val]
In the examples [E200] and [V295], the size of the straws is highlighted as a significant issue, emphasized by the terms "small" and "nhỏ." Additionally, the challenges mentioned in [E205] point to the difficulties that straws create within the sortation system.
To sum up, English and Vietnamese writers are most likely to apply
The reports show that both groups of writers evaluate phenomena, but notable differences exist in their use of Affect and Judgment Specifically, Judgment appears in EPSNRs nearly twice as often as in VPSNRs, while Vietnamese writers favor Affect over Judgment in their writing A detailed analysis of the frequency of each sub-type in EPSNRs and VPSNRs will be provided in the subsequent sections.
4.2 Affect resources in EPSNRs and VPSNRs
4.2.1 Sub-types of Affect resources in EPSNRs and VPSNRs
According to Martin & White (2005, pp 48-51), affect is categorized into four sub-types: Un/Happiness, Dis/Inclination, In/Security, and Dis/Satisfaction The Un/Happiness category encompasses various meanings related to the mood of happiness.
The In/Security variable reflects our emotions of peace and anxiety concerning our relationships with others Meanwhile, Dis/Satisfaction pertains to our sense of achievement and frustration related to our activities, encompassing our roles as both participants and spectators.
Dis/Inclination is concerned with how the speaker is inclined or disinclined to something Figure 4.1 below serves to present the distribution of the Affect values in EPSNRs and VPSNRs
Figure 4 1 Sub-types of Affect resources in EPSNRs and VPSNRs
From Figure 4.1, there is a similarity in employing four sub-types of
Affect between English and Vietnamese writers It is clear that Dis/Inclination is the most widely used Affect resources which is favored by English and
Vietnamese writers dominate the statistics, comprising 68.1% and 52.5% of the total In second place, In/Security accounts for 16.5% in EPSNRs with 15 instances and 31.3% in VPSNRs with 25 cases Dis/Satisfaction ranks third in both EPSNRs at 12.1% and VPSNRs at 11.2%, with a similar number of instances recorded.
Un/Happiness is the least common among the four sub-categories of Affect, with only 3 out of 91 instances in EPSNRs and 4 out of 80 instances in
Dis/Inclination Un/Happiness In/Security Dis/Satisfaction
EPSNRs VPSNRs luan van tot nghiep download luanvanfull moi nhat z z @gmail.com Luan van thac si
VPSNRs reflect a significant focus among both English and Vietnamese writers on public attitudes towards the social issue of plastic straws Additionally, these writers tend to refrain from expressing emotions such as happiness or sadness in their work Examples of affective resources in EPSNRs and VPSNRs illustrate this trend.
[E31] The biggest force to get companies to shift their offerings, many advocates agree [+Aff-Sat], could come from individuals who cut their use of disposable plastics
Judgement resources in EPSNRs and VPSNRs
Judgment involves our attitudes towards behaviors that we either admire or criticize, as noted by Martin & White (2005, p 42) It provides the means to assess actions based on various normative principles, allowing for a positive or negative evaluation of human behavior in relation to an individual's actions or dispositions.
Judgment is divided into two broad categories, namely Social Esteem and Social Sanction
4.3.1 Social Esteem and Social Sanction Social Esteem assesses people‟s conduct from the perspectives of social ethics and the standard of appropriateness It is a semantic system which refers to one‟s emotional responses or reactions Social Esteem tends to be luan van tot nghiep download luanvanfull moi nhat z z @gmail.com Luan van thac si
Oral culture is policed through various forms of communication such as chat, gossip, jokes, and stories, with humor playing a critical role (Eggins & Slade 1997) In contrast, Social Sanction, as defined by Martin & White (2005), is often codified in written forms like edicts, decrees, and laws that dictate behavior and impose penalties on those who do not comply This concept evaluates individuals' conduct based on established legal or religious standards.
The use of Judgment in EPSNRs and VPSNRs is presented in Figure 4.3
Figure 4 3 Social Esteem and Social Sanction in EPSNRs and VPSNRs
As indicated in Figure 4.3, both Social Esteem and Social Sanction resources can be found in the two corpora It is apparent that the proportion of
Social Esteem is much higher than Social Sanction in EPSNRs and VPSNRs
In EPSNRs, Social Esteem is represented in 68 instances, making up 73.1% of the total, while there are 25 instances of Social Sanction among the 68 Judgment resources Notably, the occurrences of Social Esteem are twice that of Social Sanction.
Sanction with 36 instances and 18 instances respectively Social Esteem
EPSNRs and VPSNRs can be demonstrated more clearly in the following examples
Social Sanction luan van tot nghiep download luanvanfull moi nhat z z @gmail.com Luan van thac si
[E295] you can try reusable straws made of bamboo, metal and glass
It can be seen that can in [E295] is applied to show the consumers‟ capability to replace detrimental straws with better alternatives such as bamboo, metal and glass straws
Both EPSNRs and VPSNRs also see the occurrence of Social Sanction, which can be made clearer in [E297]
[E297] To be honest as a dad, it’s tough to try to explain plastic straws problem to my kids
To be honest in [E297] expresses the honesty of the speaker who feels it is hard to reveal the real information about plastic straws to his children
The evaluation of Judgment resources in EPSNRs and VPSNRs is grounded in five specific sub-types: Normality, Capacity, Tenacity, Veracity, and Propriety.
The specific distribution of the Social Esteem and Social Sanction is indicated in Table 4.3
Table 4 3 Sub-types of Judgment resources in EPSNRs and VPSNRs
Table 4.3 reveals a notable variation in the distribution of five specific sub-types of Judgment values Among these, Capacity stands out as the most prevalent, accounting for 39 instances and securing the top rank.
43 accounting for 41.9% It is followed by Tenacity (23.7%) and Propriety
In the analysis of VPSNRs, Tenacity leads with 24.2% from 13 instances, followed closely by Capacity at 22.2% with 12 instances Both Normality and Propriety each account for 20.3% with 11 instances, while Veracity has the lowest representation at 5.4% with 7 instances Normality and Veracity occupy the remaining positions with 7.5% and 5.4%, respectively.
Both English and Vietnamese writers demonstrate a shared perspective on normality, particularly in how consumers and businesses utilize plastic straws, as evidenced in sources [E85] and [V169].
[E85] Trump was oddly reasonable [-Judg-Nor] about plastic straws
[V169] Ai cũng muốn mình dẫn đầu xu thế, hoặc ít nhất là không bị lỗi thời
[+Judg-Nor] khi mọi người xung quanh ai cũng hưởng ứng phong trào
The term "oddly" in [E85] highlights a paradox where the current President of the United States expresses interest in plastic straws, seemingly enjoying something harmful In contrast, the phrase "không bị lỗi thời" in [V169] reflects the public's desire to align with the growing social trend against plastic straws.
Capacity is also found in both English and Vietnamese data to show what can be done in the struggle against plastic straws Take the following instances as examples
[E174] we can [+Judg-Cap] reduce our consumption in half or more
[V163] Người người nhà nhà cùng nhau [+Judg-Cap] tham gia phong trào tẩy chay để trả lại môi trường trong sạch cho hành tinh
The term "can" in [E174] highlights the individual efforts to reduce plastic straw consumption, while "cùng nhau" in [V163] underscores the strength of collective action in uniting society to eliminate plastic straws.
In terms of Tenacity, both English and Vietnamese writers tend to apply the Judgment resource in their writing, which can be illustrated in [E317] and [V270]
[E317] Also, federal and provincial authorities will [+Judg-Ten] work together
Chúng tôi tại V270 cam kết không ngừng nghiên cứu và phát triển những sáng kiến mới, theo lời ông Ali Abbas, Giám đốc ngành hàng MILO và sữa của Công ty Nestlé Việt Nam.
Both English and Vietnamese writers frequently use modulations of inclination, such as "will" and "sẽ," to express the determination of authorities and the public in the effort to eliminate plastic straws and seek more sustainable products.
Veracity can be found in English and Vietnamese data, which is exemplified in [E135] and [V307]
Tôi cố gắng không sử dụng quá một ống hút mỗi ngày Lối sống truyền thống thực sự rất văn minh vì nó không gây ô nhiễm môi trường, góp phần vào việc sống xanh.
Both Vietnamese and English writers employ elements of veracity in their work For instance, the term "honestly" in [E135] assesses an individual's honesty while highlighting consumers' genuine efforts to avoid plastic straws Conversely, "quả thật" suggests that traditional lifestyles can be perceived as modern, as they have not harmed the environment.
Propriety is evident in both EPSNRs and VPSNRs through the modulation of obligations For instance, we should take proactive measures to minimize our use of plastic straws.
Appreciation resources in EPSNRs and VPSNRs
Appreciation is the final attitudinal resource discussed, as defined by Martin and White (2005, p 36) It involves evaluating the value of various entities, including natural phenomena and semiosis, whether as products or processes Appreciation assesses artifacts, events, and states of affairs based on aesthetic qualities and social valuation systems.
4.4.1 Sub-types of Appreciation resources in EPSNRs and VPSNRs
Martin & White (2005) affirms Appreciation is composed of three sub- luan van tot nghiep download luanvanfull moi nhat z z @gmail.com Luan van thac si
50 types: Reaction (emotional impact of something on the reader or listener),
Composition (the texture of something) and Valuation (social value of something) Figure 4.5 gives the distribution of Appreciation types in
Figure 4 5 Sub-types of Appreciation resources in EPSNRs and VPSNRs
The analysis in Figure 4.5 reveals that three types of Appreciation are utilized in both EPSNRs and VPSNRs Valuation is the most prevalent, accounting for 64.2% in EPSNRs and 90.1% in VPSNRs Reaction follows as the second most common type, representing 19.7% in EPSNRs and 6.6% in VPSNRs Lastly, Composition is the least frequently observed Appreciation value, with 16.1% in EPSNRs and only 3.3% in VPSNRs.
Reaction Appreciation is found in both English and Vietnamese data, which can be seen in [V41] and [E2]
[V41] Ước tính có khoảng 5 triệu chiếc ống hút nhựa bị vứt bỏ mỗi ngày tại
Mỹ Con số trở nên khủng khiếp [-App-Reac] hơn khi nhân với số quốc gia sử dụng ống hút nhựa trên toàn cầu
[E2] Straw bans alone - which have been criticized [-App-Reac] for not truly reducing waste - will barely dent the flood of plastic spewing into the
Valuation Composition Reaction luan van tot nghiep download luanvanfull moi nhat z z @gmail.com Luan van thac si
Writers in both languages exhibit differing reactions to the issue of plastic straws The term "khủng khiếp" reflects a negative public sentiment towards the use of plastic straws, highlighting concerns about their harmful impact on daily life Conversely, the word "criticized" indicates skepticism regarding straw bans, suggesting that such measures are insufficient as a standalone solution for waste reduction, merely serving to limit the quantity of plastic straws entering the environment.
In addition, Composition appears in both EPSNRs and VPSNRs to show the difficulty consumers as well as companies encounter in making efforts to give up using plastic straws
Replacing them posed significant challenges from a business perspective While bamboo straws are lightweight, compact, convenient, and affordable, they are difficult to clean due to the material being sourced from the ground, which may harbor various harmful pathogens.
The adjective "difficult" in [E120] highlights the challenges businesses encounter when attempting to replace plastic straws with alternatives Although some substitutes for plastic straws have been identified, they come with potential risks, as indicated by "khó khăn" in [V224] Notably, while bamboo straws offer certain benefits, they also present drawbacks, particularly concerning the cleaning process.
Valuation considered the most common Appreciation value is used to show characteristics of plastic straws as well as their alternatives
In English, there are some cases in which English writers apply adjectives to express properties of both plastic and straw alternatives
[E162] Plastic straws are bad [-App-Val] luan van tot nghiep download luanvanfull moi nhat z z @gmail.com Luan van thac si
[E202] It’s really small [-App-Val]
[E116] But straw alternatives are not perfect [-App-Val]
The adjectives "bad" and "small" highlight the drawbacks of plastic straws, while the term "perfect" is employed negatively to indicate the shortcomings of alternative straw options.
It is clear that Valuation Appreciation is also deployed in Vietnamese data, which can be shown in the following examples
[V180] tiếp đó, ống hút nhựa là sản phẩm tiện dụng[+App-Val] được dùng hàng triệu lần mỗi ngày
[V205] những chiếc ống hút nhựa được tạo ra với chi phí siêu thấp [+App-Val]
It is apparent that tiện dụng in [V180] and siêu thấp in [V205] are applied to express advantages of plastic straws which help them become more and more popular
4.4.2 Positive and Negative Appreciation resources in EPSNRs and VPSNRs
Appreciation can manifest as either positive or negative evaluations, allowing writers in different languages to assess objects in both ways The distribution of Positive and Negative Appreciation in EPSNRs and VPSNRs is illustrated in Figure 4.6.
Figure 4 6 Positive and Negative Appreciation resources in EPSNRs and VPSNRs
Positive Negative luan van tot nghiep download luanvanfull moi nhat z z @gmail.com Luan van thac si
Both Vietnamese and English writers exhibit similar linguistic features, as shown in Figure 4.6 They tend to use Positive Appreciation more frequently than Negative Appreciation in their reports Specifically, the proportion of Positive values in Vietnamese Professional Scientific Narrative Reports (VPSNRs) is 57.4%, surpassing that found in English Professional Scientific Narrative Reports (EPSNRs).
54% respectively However, EPSNRs possess a larger number of Negative Appreciation resources with 46% than EPSNRs making up 43%
The following examples show the use of Negative and Positive Appreciation in English data
Plastic straws are often criticized for their environmental impact, but it's worth considering that larger plastic items, such as plates and wrappers, contribute significantly to the same problem.
[E120] Replacing them was difficult [-App+Comp] from a business standpoint
The adjective "interesting" in [E87] reflects a positive attitude towards plastic straws, highlighting the current U.S president's optimistic viewpoint on the matter Conversely, the term "difficult" in [E120] underscores the challenges businesses face when transitioning away from plastic straws.
In Vietnamese data, Negative and Positive Appreciation resources are also deployed, which can be seen in [V153] [V306] and [V307]
Nhiều cửa hàng mong muốn chuyển đổi sang việc không sử dụng đồ nhựa dùng một lần, nhưng gặp phải nhiều khó khăn trong quá trình thực hiện.
[V306] [V307] Lối sống không dùng ống hút nhựa tuy xưa [-App+Val] nhưng quả thật rất văn minh [+App+Val]
The term "khó khăn" in [V153] highlights the challenges that food stalls encounter when transitioning from plastic straws to more sustainable alternatives.
The terms "xưa" and "văn minh" are positively employed to describe a lifestyle that, while appearing traditional, is actually civilized This is exemplified by the choice to avoid plastic straws in daily life, reflecting a commitment to environmental sustainability and personal health.
4.4.3 Explicit and Implicit Appreciation resources in EPSNRs and VPSNRs
Evaluating inanimate objects, much like assessing human behavior, can be done explicitly or implicitly In the context of Appreciation, both explicit and implicit values are present in EPSNRs and VPSNRs The table below illustrates the distribution of Explicit and Implicit Appreciation across both languages.
Table 4 5 Explicit and Implicit Appreciation resources in EPSNRs and VPSNRs Types of Appreciation
As presented in Table 4.5, both English and Vietnamese writers are prone to apply more Explicit Appreciation than Implicit ones in their reports
In EPSNRs, explicit resources dominate with 120 instances, representing 87.6%, while implicit values are significantly lower at 17 instances, or 12.4% Similarly, in VPSNRs, explicit evaluations are favored, with 167 instances making up 91.3%, compared to just 16 instances of implicit appreciation values, which account for 8.7%.
The following examples of Explicit Appreciation serve to illustrate the findings