INTRODUCTION
Rationale
The rising concern over plastic straws has made them a focal point in the fight against pollution, as approximately 91% of plastic used is not recycled and contributes to landfills and oceans On average, individuals use 1.6 straws daily, leading to an annual disposal of around 8.5 billion straws, which exacerbates the 150 million tons of plastic in the oceans In response, municipalities and corporations are taking action to reduce plastic straw usage, while various media, including news reports and documentaries, are raising public awareness about this pressing environmental issue The effectiveness of these reports hinges on the significance of the issue and the ability of reporters to effectively communicate their message to the audience.
Appraisal Theory, developed by linguists James Martin and Peter White in the 1980s and 1990s, posits that our emotional responses are shaped by our evaluations of events This framework explains how our appraisals lead to affective reactions, emphasizing the role of language in expressing attitudes and managing interpersonal relationships According to Martin & White (2005), Appraisal Theory serves as a valuable tool for analyzing how language is used to evaluate situations, adopt stances, and construct identities across various 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 2013, a case study explored the use of evaluative language in high-rated versus low-rated English argumentative essays by EFL students at 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) examined journalistic voices in English-Vietnamese hard news reports through the lens of Appraisal Theory Additionally, Nguyen Thi Thu Hien (2016) researched social attitudes in news reports regarding President Obama’s visit, applying Appraisal Theory to assess the coverage of this significant event.
Appraisal Theory has been widely applied across various genres, highlighting its importance in understanding evaluative language However, a gap exists in the research, as there has yet to be a contrastive study of attitudinal resources in English and Vietnamese news reports regarding plastic straws This gap inspires my thesis, which aims to explore the attitudinal aspects of news coverage on plastic straws in both languages.
“A Contrastive Study of Attitudinal resources in English and Vietnamese News
Aim and objectives
This study explores the attitudinal resources employed in English and Vietnamese news reports regarding plastic straws, highlighting the similarities and differences in how authors from both languages express their perspectives on this environmental 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?
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 towards plastic straws The research is based on a comparative analysis of 10 news reports authored by English writers and 10 by Vietnamese authors, sourced from reputable websites.
Significance of the study
This study aims to enhance the understanding of attitudinal values through both theoretical and practical lenses, emphasizing the importance of Appraisal Theory as a framework for analyzing evaluative language It presents a novel approach to exploring the attitudinal features in English and Vietnamese news reports, serving as a valuable resource for those interested in evaluative language Furthermore, the findings are intended to provide practical implications for Vietnamese English teachers and learners, helping to improve their 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
5 of the study, research questions, the scope of the study, the significance of the study and organization of the study
Chapter 2, the 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 pertinent 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 outcomes of the study, focusing on the attitudinal resources and their frequency in news reports about plastic straws The study reveals both similarities and differences across three sub-types of Attitude, providing valuable insights into public perception and media representation of this environmental issue.
English and Vietnamese news reports on plastic straws are revealed and discussed
Chapter 5 summarizes the research findings, discusses their implications for English teaching and learning, acknowledges the study's limitations, and offers recommendations for future research.
This chapter outlines the foundational elements of the thesis, beginning with the rationale, followed by the study's aim and objectives, research questions, scope, significance, and organization Chapter 1 provides an overview of the subsequent chapters, effectively sketching the research outline for the study.
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 articulated by Martin & White (2005), serves as a distinctive framework for analyzing language, enabling the expression of stances, the creation of textual characters, and the establishment of interpersonal relationships This theory explores how speakers and writers convey their attitudes, judgments, and opinions to engage with audiences who share similar experiences and perspectives, while simultaneously distancing themselves from those who do not.
Appraisal Theory, as highlighted by Martin (2000), examines how speakers and writers convey their attitudes, judgments, and emotional responses, both explicitly and implicitly, within texts This theory is instrumental in analyzing discourse resources that help negotiate social relationships by expressing feelings about relevant individuals or subjects to listeners and readers.
Appraisal Theory provides a framework for the evaluative use of language, enabling writers and speakers to assess people, events, objects, places, and processes This theory primarily aids in the positive or negative evaluation of various entities and states of affairs discussed in texts, as highlighted by Martin and White (2005).
According to Martin & David Rose (2004), appraisal serves as a system of interpersonal meaning that helps shape our social relationships They emphasize that appraisal resources enable us to communicate our feelings and attitudes towards people and things, effectively keeping our listeners or readers informed.
Appraisal Theory, as outlined 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 elements, including certainty, emotional responses, social evaluations, and intensity Appraisal can be conveyed through specific lexical choices or entire clauses, highlighting the nuanced ways in which individuals communicate their feelings and judgments.
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 and evaluations of behavior, while Engagement explores the sourcing of these attitudes and the interplay of voices in discourse Gradation, on the other hand, examines how feelings are intensified and categories become less distinct An overview of these appraisal systems is illustrated in Figure 2.1 below.
Figure 2 1 An overview of Appraisal resources
Engagement, as defined by Martin & White (2005), refers to the linguistic resources utilized by speakers or writers to express their stance towards the value positions referenced in a text and towards their audience This concept comprises two sub-types: Monogloss and Heterogloss.
Heterogloss While Monogloss relates to factual information (single voice), Hetergloss gets involved in multiple voices which consist of Contract and
In discussions about contracts, the speaker often shares personal opinions while also considering others' perspectives Conversely, when expanding on a topic, the speaker introduces a current proposition that represents one viewpoint among many, encouraging broader dialogue and inviting additional participants into the conversation Contracting dialogue typically involves elements of denial and counterarguments, fostering a more dynamic exchange of ideas.
Proclaim (Concur, Pronounce, and Endorse), Expand consists of Entertain
(internal voice of speaker) and Attribute (external sources)
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 assessments of both intensity and quantity, manifested through Intensification and Quantification Intensification evaluates the degree of intensity by scaling qualities or processes, which can be achieved through Isolating (up-scaling or down-scaling), Infusing, or Repetition.
In most instances, force values are gradable; however, this is not true for Focus Focus pertains to class membership and indicates the strength of that membership The two key components of Focus are Sharpen, which enhances membership strength, and Soften, which diminishes it.
It is irrefutable that a thorough analysis may be obtained by utilizing
While engagement and graduation can help identify sources and degrees of evaluation, they do not significantly contribute to the objectives of this study and are therefore not analyzed further.
Among the three types of Appraisal system, Attitude is considered to be analyzed due to its significance to the study As a result, subtypes of Attitude
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 emotions, behavioral judgments, and evaluations of various subjects Essentially, it serves as a tool for speakers and writers to convey individuals' perspectives and emotional responses, whether positive or negative, towards participants and to assess different matters.
The Appraisal sub-system of Attitude encompasses three key semantic areas: emotion, ethics, and aesthetics These areas are effectively expressed through various grammatical structures, particularly the use of adjectives.
According to White (2015a, p 2), attitude is a sub-system of evaluative meaning that influences how addressees perceive experiential phenomena or propositions, guiding them to adopt either a positive or negative perspective.
Attitude is itself classified into three territories of feeling, namely
Affect , Judgment and Appreciation, as presented in the following Figure 2.2
(Liu, 2013, p 42, based on Martin & White, 2005)
Figure 2 2 Sub-systems of Attitude
(Liu, 2013, p 42, based on Martin & White, 2005)
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 overall language development, concluding that expressions of Affect are gradable, even in their early, pre-lexical stages, and that Affect can be differentiated into more established forms.
Judgment and Appreciation may involve semiotic moves that encourage reflective awareness of the meaning system itself
In 2010, Xiaolin Liu explored the application of Appraisal Theory in the analysis and teaching of college English reading, aiming to improve English reading instruction in China The study revealed that utilizing Appraisal Theory significantly enhances students' reading comprehension By employing Appraisal analysis, students gain a deeper understanding of reading materials, demonstrating the theory's effectiveness in educational settings.
Appraisal Theory serves as a valuable strategy for enhancing critical thinking skills among Chinese English teachers By incorporating Appraisal Theory, educators can gain a fresh perspective on teaching English reading, ultimately improving their instructional methods.
In a pivotal study by Xinghua Liu and Thompson (2009), the authors examined the attitude choices of a Chinese undergraduate when writing essays in both English and Chinese Their findings revealed that the Chinese essay contained fewer affective and judgmental elements, which were intentionally minimized to avoid direct ethical or moral evaluations and personal emotional disclosures This approach, as suggested by the researchers, highlights a cultural practice in Chinese language and rhetoric aimed at achieving social harmony.
In 2013, Xinghua Liu advanced Appraisal Theory through a case study examining evaluative language in high- and low-rated English argumentative essays by two Chinese university EFL students The findings revealed that the high-rated essay effectively utilized appraisal values to emphasize the author's voice and engage readers This study highlights the need for 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
Hadidi & Mohammadbagheri-Parvin (2015) conducted an attitudinal analysis of F Scott Fitzgerald's novel, "The Great Gatsby," utilizing a discursive, linguistic, and stylistic approach through the Appraisal framework, specifically focusing on the Attitude subsystem Their findings revealed that attitudinal resources were organized in a predictable sequence of Appreciation, Judgment, and Affect Additionally, the analysis demonstrated that the use of Attitude was stylistically significant and aligned with the characters and context within the narrative.
Pascual & Unger (2010) researched Appraisal in research genres, revealing that most proposals exhibit high levels of Heteroglossia Their findings indicate that authors primarily use Engagement resources to invite rather than challenge the perspectives of their colleagues, suggesting an effort to engage a diverse audience.
Li (2016) utilized Appraisal Theory to examine various English song lyrics, focusing on the Attitudinal resources within the discourse This analysis seeks to uncover the linguistic features that convey the author's emotions and highlights the importance of attitude in fostering interpersonal connections between the author and the audience.
Vo Duy Duc (2011) conducted a comparative analysis of the stylistic, structural, and ideological characteristics of business news reporting in English and Vietnamese, 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
A study examining English and Vietnamese business texts revealed that both languages share a similar structural framework and utilize comparable reporter voices However, significant differences emerged 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 framework for analyzing Vietnamese language discourse, uncovering various facets of sentiment, including the appraisers, the objects of appraisal, and the biases of both appraisers and writers The analysis reveals that appraisers convey their attitudes towards five distinct appraisal objects, predominantly reflecting positive emotions and judgments Furthermore, appraisers focus more on expressing their feelings and evaluating entities related to Obama's visit rather than commenting on people's behaviors The findings indicate a tendency among appraisers to adopt a cautious stance, often refraining from expressing strong opinions.
Numerous master's theses have explored attitudinal resources through the lens of Appraisal Theory, utilizing a diverse array 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
The application of Appraisal Theory in research is extensive, yet its use to analyze attitudinal resources in English and Vietnamese news reports about 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 explores 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:
Affect, Judgment and Appreciation is also provided Moreover, a brief review of the previous studies applying Appraisal Theory is presented to point out the gap for research
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research Design
This study utilized a mixed-methods approach, combining qualitative and quantitative analyses The qualitative aspect focused on examining and describing attitudinal resources found in news reports in both English and Vietnamese Subsequently, the quantitative analysis investigated the frequency of Affect, Judgment, Appreciation, and their sub-types within these reports This quantitative examination was crucial in revealing how often these attitudinal resources appeared.
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 detailed analysis 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 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
A total of 25 news reports were gathered from various national and international online newspapers, including Thanhnien, Tuoitre, Vietnamnet, TuanVietnam, Vnexpress, National Geographic, The Guardian, Global News, and Reuters These reports varied in length from 799 to 1,815 words and were analyzed for their evaluative language They adhered to specific standards of lexical meaning and grammatical structures, providing a comprehensive basis for the analysis.
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
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 data analysis, where data from English news reports (E1 to E321) and Vietnamese news reports (V1 to V317) were manually encoded 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 language choices used for evaluation and highlighting the similarities and differences between English and Vietnamese news report attitudes.
Research procedures
There were specific steps followed by the author, presented as follows:
This article focuses on the collection and analysis of ten English and ten Vietnamese news reports regarding plastic straws The reports are sourced from various national and international online newspapers and are categorized into two distinct groups: English news reports on plastic straws and Vietnamese news reports on plastic straws This structured approach aims to highlight differing perspectives and trends in reporting on the environmental impact and regulation of plastic straws in both English and Vietnamese contexts.
- 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 based on the foundational framework established by White (2005) Data was collected from reputable and verified sources, including Thanhnien, Tuoitre, Vietnamnet, TuanVietnam, Vnexpress, National Geographic, The Guardian, Global News, and Reuters.
The research data demonstrated its validity by meeting essential standard criteria and confirmed its originality, 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 Personal Narrative Reports (EPSNRs and VPSNRs), as demonstrated in the findings An overview of the distribution of attitudinal values within these reports 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 study identifies 321 attitudinal values in EPSNRs and 317 in VPSNRs, revealing the presence of all three subtypes of Attitude: Affect, Judgement, and Appreciation Notably, Appreciation is found to be the most prevalent subtype in this genre across both languages, indicating that Appreciation resources constitute a significant proportion of the attitudinal expressions in EPSNRs and VPSNRs.
A study reveals that both English and Vietnamese writers show a strong preference for Appreciation resources, with 42.7% and 57.7% respectively, indicating a shared focus on evaluating the use and properties of plastic straws Notably, English writers emphasize Judgment more than their Vietnamese counterparts, with rates of 29% in English Plastic Straw Narrative Reports (EPSNRs) compared to 17.1% in Vietnamese Plastic Straw Narrative Reports (VPSNRs) Additionally, instances of Affect in EPSNRs slightly surpass those in VPSNRs, highlighting subtle differences in emotional expression between the two languages.
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 emotions and feelings regarding straws are expressed by individuals and companies, as clearly demonstrated 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 quán sử dụng ống hút tre.
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 writers utilize Judgment to highlight the efforts made in the fight against 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, đảm bảo tiêu chí “xanh” và “sạch”, qua đó xây dựng thương hiệu xanh nhằm thúc đẩy sự phát triển bền vững.
The term "trying" highlights restaurants' efforts to eliminate plastic straws, while the Vietnamese phrase "nỗ lực" emphasizes the commitment of various businesses to this initiative.
30 made to introduce environmentally friendly straws to meet the social demand
Both EPSNRs and VPSNRs reveal similarities that highlight the challenges faced by consumers and entrepreneurs in addressing the issues associated with plastic straws, as evidenced in sources [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, described as "small" and "nhỏ," presents significant challenges Additionally, the term "challenging" in [E205] highlights the obstacles that straws create for the sortation system.
To sum up, English and Vietnamese writers are most likely to apply
The analysis reveals that both EPSNRs and VPSNRs exhibit a tendency among writers to assess various phenomena, though notable differences arise in their use of Affect and Judgment Specifically, Judgment is utilized nearly twice as frequently in EPSNRs compared to VPSNRs, while Vietnamese writers show a preference for incorporating Affect over Judgment in their compositions A comprehensive examination of the frequency of these sub-types in EPSNRs and VPSNRs will be discussed 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 can be categorized into four distinct sub-types: Un/Happiness, Dis/Inclination, In/Security, and Dis/Satisfaction The Un/Happiness category encompasses various emotional states, particularly focusing on the experience of happiness.
The In/Security variable reflects our emotional states of peace and anxiety in connection with those around us Meanwhile, Dis/Satisfaction pertains to our sense of achievement and frustration regarding our involvement in various activities, whether as active participants or observers.
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 represent 68.1% and 52.5% in the respective categories, while In/Security follows in second place, comprising 16.5% of EPSNRs with 15 instances and 31.3% of VPSNRs with 25 cases Dis/Satisfaction ranks third in both EPSNRs at 12.1% and VPSNRs at 11.2%, showing a similar number of occurrences.
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
Both English and Vietnamese writers are increasingly focused on public attitudes toward the social issue of plastic straws, often neglecting to express emotions such as happiness or sadness in their articles This trend is evident in various examples of Affect resources found in EPSNRs and VPSNRs.
[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 evaluating attitudes towards behavior, encompassing admiration, criticism, praise, and condemnation It provides resources for assessing actions based on normative principles, allowing for a positive or negative evaluation of human behavior in relation to individuals' 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 evaluates individuals' behavior based on social ethics and standards of appropriateness It serves as a semantic framework that reflects emotional responses and reactions Ultimately, Social Esteem plays a significant role in understanding how people perceive and judge conduct within a social context.
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, rules, and laws that dictate behavior and impose penalties for non-compliance This system 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 appears 68 times, making up 73.1% of the total, while Social Sanction is represented in 25 instances out of the 68 Judgment resources Notably, the frequency of Social Esteem is 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
[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 conducted through 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, with Capacity leading the way, accounting for 39 instances.
43 accounting for 41.9% It is followed by Tenacity (23.7%) and Propriety
The distribution of sub-types reveals that Tenacity leads with 24.2% (13 instances), followed closely by Capacity at 22.2% (12 instances) Both Normality and Propriety each account for 20.3% (11 instances), while Veracity has the lowest representation at 5.4% with 7 instances Normality and Veracity take the remaining positions with 7.5% and 5.4%, respectively, highlighting the similarity in the proportions of certain sub-types within VPSNRs.
Both English and Vietnamese writers demonstrate a shared perspective on normality, highlighting the frequency with which consumers and businesses utilize plastic straws, as illustrated in references [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 concept of "can" in [E174] highlights the individual efforts to reduce plastic straw consumption, while "cùng nhau" in [V163] underscores the collective strength of society working together 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 trong ngành hàng MILO và sữa, theo chia sẻ của ông Ali Abbas, Giám đốc ngành hàng tại Công ty Nestlé Việt Nam.
Both English and Vietnamese writers frequently utilize modulations of inclination, such as "will" and "sẽ," to express the commitment of authorities and the public in the movement to eliminate plastic straws and seek more sustainable alternatives.
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 để giảm thiểu ô nhiễm môi trường Lối sống này, dù có phần cổ điển, thực sự rất văn minh và góp phần vào việc sống xanh.
Both Vietnamese and English writers utilize 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 In contrast, the phrase "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 example, we should take steps to reduce our consumption of plastic straws.
Appreciation resources in EPSNRs and VPSNRs
Appreciation, as defined by Martin and White (2005), is an attitudinal resource that evaluates the value of various entities, including natural phenomena and semiotic processes It involves assessing artifacts, events, and states of affairs based on aesthetic qualities and social valuation systems This concept highlights the importance of recognizing and valuing the intrinsic qualities of the world around us.
4.4.1 Sub-types of Appreciation resources in EPSNRs and VPSNRs
Martin & White (2005) affirms Appreciation is composed of three sub-
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
In the analysis of Appreciation types within EPSNRs and VPSNRs, Valuation is the most prevalent, comprising 64.2% of EPSNRs and 90.1% of VPSNRs Following Valuation, Reaction accounts for 19.7% in EPSNRs and 6.6% in VPSNRs Lastly, Composition is the least utilized Appreciation value, representing 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
The reactions of writers in two different languages regarding the plastic straws issue reveal significant differences The term "khủng khiếp" reflects a negative public sentiment towards the use of plastic straws, highlighting concerns about the harmful impact of these products in daily life Conversely, the use of the word "criticized" indicates skepticism about the effectiveness of straw bans, suggesting that such measures are insufficient as a standalone solution for reducing waste, merely serving to manage the quantity of plastic straws that enter 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 bamboo straws poses challenges from a business perspective, as they are lightweight, compact, and affordable However, cleaning these straws can be difficult due to their 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 options have been identified, potential risks remain, 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]
[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 used negatively to emphasize the limitations of straw alternatives.
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 be classified as either positive or negative, indicating that writers in different languages assess objects in both favorable and unfavorable ways The distribution of positive and negative appreciation is illustrated in Figure 4.6, which presents data for EPSNRs and VPSNRs.
Figure 4 6 Positive and Negative Appreciation resources in EPSNRs and VPSNRs
Both Vietnamese and English writers exhibit similar linguistic features, as illustrated in Figure 4.6 They tend to utilize Positive Appreciation more frequently than Negative Appreciation in their reports Specifically, the proportion of Positive values in Vietnamese Professional Scientific Narrative Reports (VPSNRs) is significantly higher than in English Professional Scientific Narrative Reports (EPSNRs), with a notable rate of 57.4%.
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 often receive criticism for their environmental impact, but it's important to consider that larger items like plates and wrappers, made from the same material, also contribute significantly to plastic pollution.
[E120] Replacing them was difficult [-App+Comp] from a business standpoint
The adjective "interesting" in [E87] reflects a positive perspective on plastic straws, highlighting an optimistic viewpoint that aligns with the current president of the United States Conversely, the term "difficult" in [E120] indicates 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 khó khăn do nhiều vấn đề khác nhau.
[V306] [V307] Lối sống không dùng ống hút nhựa tuy xưa [-App+Val] nhưng quả thật rất văn minh [+App+Val]
It is obvious that khó khăn in [V153] is employed to express the hardship some food stalls face in the process of replacing plastic straws with
The terms "xưa" and "văn minh" are used positively to describe a lifestyle that, while traditional, embraces modern values by rejecting plastic straws in daily life to promote environmental sustainability and health.
4.4.3 Explicit and Implicit Appreciation resources in EPSNRs and VPSNRs
Evaluating inanimate objects, much like assessing human behavior, can be done through explicit or implicit means In the context of Appreciation, both Explicit and Implicit values are present in EPSNRs and VPSNRs The accompanying table 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% of the total, while implicit values are significantly lower at 17 instances, or 12.4% Similarly, in VPSNRs, explicit evaluations are preferred, with 167 instances accounting for 91.3%, compared to just 16 instances of implicit appreciation values, which make up 8.7%.
The following examples of Explicit Appreciation serve to illustrate the findings
At first glance, the ban on plastic straws may appear straightforward, yet these convenient products are used millions of times daily.
It is noticeable that both Vietnamese writers and English writers apply