International Relationships of Attitude and Graduation - Case Study Example

Title: Discourse Analysis Name: Registration No: Course Code: Date: 1. Introduction Discourse analysis involves an analysis of a text so that the intentions of the narrator as well as the manner in which language is used such as various tenses and parts of speech can be understood (Hood 2006, p. 39). During the process of using a language in communication with others, it is common to observe that meanings are conveyed in a manner that shows the relationship between the speakers and the listener (Martin and Rose 2007, p. 47). This is because the language spoken is a reflection of the tenor of the context. For instance, during communication, the speaker tries to use words which create solidarity with others. Interpersonal relationships can be understood better by studying the manner in which attitude and graduation appraisal systems are used in a text. Attitude is the effect of judgment and appreciation of a particular observation by explaining how one feels about it (Feez, Iedema and White 2008, p. 46). Graduation is the manner in which a person thinks something should be rated or ranked. In the text ‘Old Delhi walking tour, India: A feast to overcome 'Delhi belly' fears, it is observed that there are a number of instances where the narrator expresses attitude and judgement during the process of illustrating a point. The narrator explains a number of instances where their guide introduced them to a number of foods available in the country for vegetarian as well as guiding them to a touring activity. This paper provides a discourse analysis with the focus on internationals relationships of attitude and graduation. 2. Discussion 2.1. Genre The genre of this article is story telling. This is because; there are many characteristics of story-telling that can be deduced from the article. An example of such a characteristic is a recount. This is a characteristic of storytelling where the writer provides an account of events that took place without disruption (Hood 2012, p. 50). The events explained are explained as the story continues to be told. In this article, it is found that the narrator explains the series of events that took place when they went to tour the Old Delhi. For instance, it explains their initial reluctance to eat meals offered by Ramit but later cooperate with him until they are finally take to Old Delhi museum where they are provided with what the narrator explains as ‘….a magnificent feast: masala…’. In addition, the use of anecdote in the article shows that it is a narrative.an anecdote is the act of disrupting the usuality of a situation which has not been resolved where the ensuing reaction is either positive or negative. An example of anecdote in the article is when the narrator explains ‘Despite protestations that we are fit to explode, Ramit promises a last….’ This shows that the narrator and his friend were provided with more food while they had protested that they were satisfied. As a result of the use of anecdotes, it has been possible to connect events in the story from the beginning to the end so that the genre of storytelling is enhanced. 2.2. Attitude Interpersonal relationship of attitude enables the reader understand how the narrator feels about a particular situation in a text so that the reader can determine whether the narrator is willing to provide the narration of the exact happenings in an event (Hoods 2012, p. 38). Interpersonal relationship of attitude can either be a positive attitude or a negative inscribed attitude. There are many instances where interpersonal appraisal systems of positive inscribed attitude have been used in the article. An example of interpersonal relationship of positive attitude used in the article is ‘salivating’. The use of this positive inscribed attitude enables the reader understand the nature of likeness developed for the food that was suggested to them by Ramit. Other examples of words used to illustrate a positive inscribed attitude include ‘Ok I have got’, ‘colorful’ and ‘passionate’. There are also cases where the narrator has used word which illustrates negative inscribed attitudes. For instance, in the sentence, ‘’Ramit looks crestfallen when my friend and I inform him we are vegetarians’. In this sentence, the word ‘crestfallen’ is used to illustrate Ramit’s negative inscribed attitude when he learned that the narrator and his friends were vegetarians. Another example where the narrator used the interpersonal relation that illustrates a negative inscribed attitude is when he said, ‘…..progress through the increasingly chaotic Chandni Chow’. The word ‘chaotic’ in this phrase illustrates that the narrator was not impressed with the level of chaos that he witnessed in Chandni Chow. Another word used by the narrator to illustrate a negative inscribed attitude is ‘claustrophobic’. Table 1. Blow shows the list of both positive and negative inscribed attitudes. Table 1. Positive and negative inscribed attitudes Positive Negative salivating chaotic excitement claustrophobic Ok I have got crestfallen passionate colorful Interpersonal relationship of attitude can also be illustrated by making positive inscribed appreciation. This is where a person shows that something has happened well or has been done well (Iedema, Feez and White 1994, p. 156). An example of a case where a positive inscribed appreciation has been demonstrated is the use of the word, ‘satisfying’. This word has been used by the narrator to explain the manner in which the Japanese samosas have been prepared. We are able to learn that the narrator is illustrating an inscribed appreciation of the samosas by providing a view about a positive value of the samosas. Another example of a case where the narrator uses positive inscribed appreciation is when he uses the word ‘large’ in appreciating the size of the |Old Delhi Spice Market. Furthermore, other words have been used in the article which shows positive inscribed appreciation such as ‘satisfied expressions’, ‘veritable taste’, ‘spicy’ which shows a positive appreciation of the peas and ‘delectable’ which shows a positive appreciation of the food in the Muslim section. Other words that illustrate a positive inscribed appreciation include ‘perfect’ and magnificent’. These words are summarised in table 2 as shown below. Table 2. Positive Inscribed appreciation Instance Attitude What is being appraised satisfying +app: valuation Japanese samosas Satisfied expressions +app: valuation expressions largest +app: valuation Size of Old Delhi spice market Veritable taste +app: valuation Taste of frozen mango magnificent +app: valuation Food at Old Delhi Museum spicy +app: valuation peas perfect +app: valuation Ramit’s ability delectable +app: valuation Food in the Muslim section In certain circumstances, it is possible for the narrator to express a negative inscribed appreciation. This is a situation where the narrator is not pleased with a particular outcome or the outcome does not meet the expectation of the narrator (Martin and Rose 2007, p. 182). An example of a word used to illustrate a negative inscribed appreciation is ‘unusual’. This word is used to illustrate a negative appreciation of pastries. The reader is thus able to understand that the pastries did not meet the narrator’s expectation of taste. Another set of words that illustrate the negative inscribed appreciation is ‘sets me sneezing’. These words are used by the narrator to explain the smell of the red peppers that were not according to the expectation of the narrator. A number of positively inscribed appreciations are illustrated in table 3 below. Table 3. Negative Inscribed appreciation Instance Attitude What is being appraised crestfallen -app: valuation Ramit’s attitude unusual -app: valuation pastries Sets me sneezing -app: valuation Bags of red pepers 2.3. Graduation Interpersonal relationship of graduation enables the reader understand how the narrator explains various conditions experienced during the process of telling the story. During the process of illustrating graduation form of interpersonal relationship, the narrator may use the graduation of force that raises or lowers the grade of something. In the story ‘Old Delhi walking tour, India: A feast to overcome 'Delhi belly' fears’, graduation of force that illustrates quantity has been used by the narrator to illustrate the quantity of something being described in the story. This provides a better relationship between the narrator and readers. An example of graduation of quantification is ‘many tasty’ that is used by Ramit to explain to the narrator and his friend that the nature of tasty they would miss out if they are vegetarians. Another case where a graduation of quantification is used is the case where the narrator uses the word ‘two spoons’ to illustrate quantity of spoons that were in the plate that was brought to them by Ramit when they were at Manohar Dhaba stalls. Thus, a better interpersonal relationship is created with the reader because the reader is able to understand the story better. Other forms of judgements of quantification used in the article include ‘tiny’ and ’20 minutes’. The list of gradations of quantifications is illustrated in table 4 as shown below. Table 4. Graduation: quantifications Instance Attitude Graduation: force Many tasty -judge Enhancing: quality Two spoons -judge Enhancing: quantity tiny -judge Quantification: size 20 minutes -judge Quantification: duration There are cases where the narrator has used interpersonal relationship of judgement that refers to a particular quantity. Thus, the reader is able to understand the measure of what the narrator is trying to explain. This results into achievement of interpersonal relationship of quantity. An example of a case of use of nominal words is the statement ‘….but they are made with 60 layers of pastry’. From this statement, the reader is able to understand that the Japanese samosas were made of 60 layers of pastry, thus getting a better understanding of the story being illustrated. Another case where the narrator has used graduation of quantity is when the narrator explained that ‘…we alight 20 minutes later outside....’ This judgement of quantification enables the reader understand the duration it took for the narrator and their guide to travel to Old Delhi Spice Market. An example of a graduation form of interpersonal relationship that invokes a judgment is the statement, ‘Ushering us to a cane dining setting, the mansion's owner leaves us to explore the courtyard's shaded porticos…’ this statement shows the next thing that the reader should expect to know while reading the story. It also shows that the narrator was invoked to explore the new environment in Old Delhi museum, hence illustrating a relationship with the reader. There are other words used which show an invoked judgement. As a result, a relationship is created with the reader. These words are illustrated in table 5 as shown below. There is also a graduation interpersonal relationship that invites a person to a particular activity or event. This creates a relationship between characters in a story as well as between the reader and the person that tells the story. In this story it can be illustrated by the statement ‘Beckoning, he leads us through massive wooden doors into a private haveli, recently restored….’ This statement shows that the person who guided the narrator during the tour of the Old Delhi actually invited them through the museum while they were being introduced into the building. This is illustrated by the use of the word ‘beckoning’. This makes the reader understand the willingness of the guide to show around the building due to the invitation. Table 5. Invoked judgment Positive Negative ….. to take you…. …… midday thermostat searing……. ….. directs us…. …..we are fit to explode….. ….speed our progress…. No one seems to know….. ….encouraging us… ….he wails…. Ushering us….. The use of graduation interpersonal relationship of judgement that lowers the value of something is also evident in the story. This is a case where the narrator shows low value of an object being described so that the reader is able to understand the realistic nature of the story thus creating a relationship with the narrator. For instance, in the sentence, ‘Stepping into an unmarked, near-empty concrete space in a nondescript back alley, we are presented with…’ in this statement, the word ‘nondescript’ describes the smallness of the space in which the narrator was when they were presented with the snack called Mango Kulfi. In another case, the narrator may use a graduation form of focus which sharpens or softens something being said. This is achieved by use of words that provokes, invokes or flags an attitude. An example of a statement where an attitude is provoked is when the narrator says, ‘At the thought of such delectable offerings, our bespectacled guide has become a veritable’. From this statement, the reader is able to understand that the narrator was pleased with the offering which was made which illustrates that the story was now focused on the food they were offered. Another example of a provoking statement is ‘…fears of the dreaded "Delhi Belly" tempering my gastronomic spirit of adventure’. This statement is used by the narrator to describe the nature of food he had eaten previously that made him have gastronomic problems. Due to these use of provoking statements, the reader is able to understand the experiences that were not pleasing to the narrator thus able to grade the manner in which the narrator experienced every situation. Another form of relationship of graduation is that of flagging. This is statement that shows a process where a person is given the freedom to do something without interference. As a result, it illustrates the relationship between the characters in a story as well as with the reader. In the story, it is illustrated by the statement ‘…the mansion's owner leaves us to explore the courtyard's shaded porticos…’ This statement enables the reader understand that there was a flagging off of the exploration process when the mansion owner allowed the narrator and his friends explore the building. Thus, the reader is able to rate the relationship that existed between the owner of the mansion and the narrator and his friends. Various forms of judgment illustrated in the text are summarised as shown in the table below. Conclusion This paper illustrates the use of discourse analysis in illustrating the manner in which a narrator of a story explains a particular point or event. It is found that the kind of words a person uses at a particular time is determined by the situation and the nature of the audience to be addressed. The main methods that have been used to create interpersonal relationship are the use of a storytelling genre to lustrate the story. In addition, positive and negative inscribed attitudes have been used. The article has also used a number of positive and negative inscribed appreciations. There are also cases where the use of graduation of quantification has been used. Thus, it has been possible to understand the quantity or valuation of what the narrator is trying to explain. This results into creation of interpersonal relationship between the reader and the narrator. In this paper, it is understood that discourse of interpersonal relationship was used by the narrator to create a relationship with the reader so that the reader could feel associated with the story, thus willing to read the story to the end. The attitude forms investigated include inscribed attitudes, judgment and appreciation. The attitudes of graduation investigated include force, focus, provoking and flagging. These forms of interpersonal relationships have enabled the reader understand the relationship that existed between characters in the story ‘Old Delhi walking tour, India: A feast to overcome 'Delhi belly' fears’ as well as creating a relationship with readers so that the story becomes interesting and realistic. References Feez, S., Iedema, R., & White, P., 2008, ‘Reporting Hard News’, Media Literacy , AMES, Sydney, NSW. Hood, S. 2006, ‘The persuasive power of prosodies: Radiating values in academic writing’, Journal of English for Academic Purposes, vol. 5, pp. 37-49. Hood, S. 2012, ‘Appraisal in academic writing: A focus on Graduation’, Lecture Series Autumn Semester, UTS, NSW. Hood, S. 2012, ‘Analysing interpersonal meaning in discourse: Appraisal’, Lecture Series Autumn Semester, UTS, NSW. Iedema, R., Feez, S., & White, P.R.R, 1994, ‘Appraisal and Journalistic Discourse’ Media Literacy, Sydney, Disadvantaged Schools Program, NSW Department of School Education. Martin, J.R., & Rose, D., 2007, Working with Discourse: Meaning Beyond the Clause, Continuum International Publishing Group, London, UK. Appendix The story analyzed: Old Delhi walking tour, India: A feast to overcome 'Delhi belly' fears Appendix A Color Coding used: Bold: Inscribed attitude Italics: graduation Green: Judgement Blue: Appreciation Red: Affect NOTE: The extract is only a section of the document that was analysed and does not include the whole document Ramit looks crestfallen [-attitude] . "Oh no!" he wails [-invoked judgement], ……going to miss out [desires] on so many tasty [+satisfaction] treats! I wanted to take you [+invoked judgement] to……. chicken – so good [+appreciation]." At the thought of such delectable [+quality]…Simpson, salivating [tempted] with gleeful anticipation. …………….. perfect [+rating] person to…………… disappointment [dissatisfaction] in ……… to excitement [happiness] as he ………..options. "OK, have I got [suggestive] a surprise…. this corner." …. directs us [+invoked judgement] to a cluster of …… plate with two spoons [quantity], a variety of ….. unusual-looking [-familiarity] …….," he says, encouraging us [+ invoked judgement] to tuck in. "No one seems to know [-invoked judgement] why …. 60 layers [quantity] of ……a satisfying [fulfilling] crunch, an explosion of spicy [+quality] peas ….. satisfied expressions [fulfilling].………a little nervous [-security] about ……, fears of the dreaded [low familiarity]"Delhi ………..A passionate [+competence]……, there were 20 restaurants [quantity] in this tiny[unsatisfactory] ……..With the midday thermostat searing [-invoked judgement], Ramit hails a bicycle rickshaw, hoping [desires] to speed our progress [+invoked judgement] through the increasingly chaotic [unpleasant] …… in a claustrophobic [annoying] ……..It's hilarious but terrifying [uncomfortable], and we alight 20 minutes [duration] . The largest [size] …..in colourful displays [pleasant: appealing]; …… sets me sneezing [dislike] …….protestations [dislike] that we are fit to explode [-invoked judgement], …… nondescript [unsatisfactory] ….. veritable taste [satisfying] ….the perfect [satisfying] epilogue ….. Beckoning [directive], he ….. Ushering us[ receptive/ friendly] to a…… owner leaves us to explore [receptive] the …..a magnificent [satisfaction] feast:…..and sweet [pleasant]. Read More