An Analysis Of Attitudinal Meanings In Nobel Prize Presentation Speech In Literature From The Perspective Of Appraisal Theory

Appraisal Theory, which mainly focuses on language users’ viewpoints,standpoints or stances towards a certain state of affairs, is an extension ofinterpersonal function in Systemic-Functional Linguistics. It consists of threeinterrelated sub-systems, namely, attitude, engagement and graduation. Since itsemergence, Appraisal Theory has aroused great interest among scholars at home andabroad. In the field of discourse analysis, it has been applied to the study of editorials,hard news, academic book reviews, movie reviews and public speech.As an indispensible part on Nobel Prize award ceremony, Nobel Prizepresentation speech is a significant reflection of western culture. Through theevaluation of recipients’ remarkable achievements and respectable characters, theaudience can better understand the prize-winners and then learn from them. As aparticular form of public speaking, presentation speech is significant within theframework of Appraisal Theory.This thesis intends to utilize the sub-system of attitude in Appraisal Theory as itstheoretical framework to explore the realization of attitudinal meanings in Nobel Prizepresentation speech in literature, the distribution of attitudinal resources and itsstylistic features via the mode of attitudinal meanings.Through an analysis of12Nobel Prize presentation speeches in literature byadopting both qualitative and quantitative research methods, the following findingsare drawn.There are abundant attitudinal resources in Nobel Prize presentation speech inliterature. The whole three subcategories within the framework of attitude arecontained, through which the attitudinal meanings are realized. However, they are notequally employed. Appreciation is most frequently utilized, followed by judgment andaffect in turn. Among affect, judgment and appreciation, their own sub-systems arealso not equally employed. Within the sub-system of affect, un/happiness valuesoutnumber that of the other three types. In terms of judgment, social esteemoutnumbers that of social sanction. In most cases, the speakers encode judgment ascapacity to evaluate the recipients. As to appreciation, the reaction and compositionresources are most frequently employed. Nobel Prize presentation speech in literaturealso has its special stylistic features from the mode of attitudinal meanings which can be concluded into three aspects: explicitness, laudatoriness and emotiveness.