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Appraisal System
in News Item (Study Case on thejakartapost.com and
news.nationalpost.com
about Major Hashimoto’s comments)
Noor
Widiastuti
13020110130054
1. Background
As
the technological development improvement, news can be seen not only in printed
media but also electronic media such as television and internet. Internet which
becomes communication media also cannot be denied as a source of information which
includes journalism reports. Nowadays studies concerning to media should be
more flexible to encounter the technological change and the convergence of
media. So, research related to media needs to involve internet media as it is
parallel to printed media in the characteristic of contents and audience.
News cannot be detached from its crucial function in
conveying message as it is a part of media mass text. Media text is a
constructed meaning by its writer. This role must involve one of meta-functions
of language, namely interpersonal function. Interpersonal function deals with
how we encode meanings of attitudes, interaction and relationship. In terms of
its positioning, it can be analyzed deeply through appraisal system.
Gerot and Wignell (1994:200) define news item as a
text which is aimed at telling the readers, listeners or viewers about what’s
happening. It has great value to be known by public. Newsworthy events,
backgrounds and sources altogether compose parts of this text. An important
point to be considered is that news item has aims to answer what, where, who,
when, why and how (5W+1H). They also explain that newsworthy event describes
the event in summary form; Background events elaborate what happened, to whom,
in what circumstances; Sources consists of witnesses and experts.
According to White (1998) as the
modern mass media, news item, is argued as one of the written texts, which has
significant influence in many political, economic and cultural debates. Its
texture then serves a contestation between political groupings, ideological
positions, media theorists and even text linguistic analyses. News report is
viewed as crucial mechanism for the spreading of information by which an
informed and meaningful public discourse may be established and maintained.
Soeseno in Rahyono (2005:49) argues that press
provide information, the stock of ideas or channel of aspirations for the
society. Moral responsibilities subjected to those two functions are
responsibilities in providing information, responsibilities in expressing
evaluations and responsibilities as a stock of ideas for the public. The most
fundamental responsibility in providing information is to give truth values.
Certain language features contribute to expose the
presence or personality of a text’s writer. According to Iedema et al (1994:
1), appraisal systems used in media can be a basis to explore objectivity and
subjectivity in journalistic discourse and to explore how the distinctive
‘voices’ of journalistic discourse can be seen to vary according to their
different use of appraisal values.
One of the booming news in press lately in May is
about Major Hashimoto’s controversial comments. He made a statement that the use
of the comfort women’s service by Japanese soldier during World War II was
tolerable. This case constantly drew mass media’s attention. Most of
international mass media wrote about Hashimoto’s case with their various of
explanations. All mass media both in domestic and foreign give their
explanation, including English media in Indonesia such as The Jakarta Post (online version: thejakartapost.com) and
that of foreign, such as news.nationalpost.com.
The objects, which are news item texts are chosen
because they always contain subject who writes and object which is written. In
this case, news item is considered to be representative because in writing journalism
report, journalists have their ways to position the object. Moreover, the art
of positioning object can be identified through appraisal system in Systemic
Functional Linguistics. News item texts from both news sites will be analysed
to compare their use of appraisal system. It is in order to answer the question
how different media position the same object in their ways, through their
similarities and differences.
2. Scope
of the Study
The
news item texts, which are taken from
both news sites, only focus on the same topic, that is, Major Hashimoto’s
comment concerning to the practice of using sex slave during world war. By
analysing them, how the writer’s attitude toward the case can be identified
through appraisal items namely attitude, amplification and source.
3. Purpose
of the Study
The
present study is aimed at these following purposes, i.e. :
1. To
find types of appraisal systems used in the news items
2. To
compare the different use of appraisal system in both news items
4.
Review of Literature
4.1
Previous Studies
The
previous research related to appraisal systems has been conducted by Afiniawati
in 2008 titled “Appraisal System in The Memoir “A Man Named Dave” by Dave
Pelzer”. She emphasizes on how appraisal system, especially the attitude, works
in the memoir with the aim to show triumph and forgiveness. In analising, she
applies the theories of appraisal system by Martin and Rose, Eggins and some
overviews of Systemic Functional Linguistics by Halliday (1994).
The result shows that the change of attitude occurs
through the memoir, in which the early chapters until the middle contain many
findings of negative attitude. On the other hand, in the end of the chapter are
frequently found the positive attitudes. These findings imply that the
character (Dave Pelzer) changes his attitude toward his mother. He finally
forgives his mother who has tormented him. This research is generally sound in
some aspects. On the other hand, some of theories used are further explained
and not related closely to the study.
Another study is done by Nadia Widya
Fardhani in 2012 titled “Analyses on Appraisal System in “Journal Food” Column
in TRAVEL+LEISURE Magazine September 2011”. The study exposes how the writer of
the column applies attitude and the conveyed message in order to interest the
readers. Still the researcher applies the theories which belong to Martin and
Rose. The result shows that positive personal attitudes are more frequently
used in the magazine. The affects found include both positive and negative.
Nevertheless, in the aspect of graduation there are only two intensifiers found
i.e attitudinal lexis and metaphor.
The study on appraisal systems in electronic
media (news site), especially news item has not been conducted yet. Thus, the
writer tries to analyze it since printed media is now flexibly available to be
accessed using internet. Internet is one part of media which is not only
considered as a source of information, but also, it has contribution in
affecting public’s opinion.
4.2
Underlying Theories
a.
Interpersonal Function of Language
Language
has three major functions as stated by Butt (1995:38). Those three functions
are:
1. Representational
function
This
function allows us to use language as medium to represent our experience of the
world. In other words, it expresses an image of reality so it provides us ‘to
encode meaning of experience’ (experiential meaning). In functional grammar,
this feature can be analyzed deeply through transitivity.
2. Interpersonal
function
It
is related to interaction and showing how defendable we find our propositions.
It makes us possible to encode meanings of attitudes, interaction and
relationships.
3. Textual
function
Textual
function allows us to organize the experiential and interpersonal meaning into
a linear and coherent whole. It allows us to encode meanings of text
development.
The interpersonal function of language gives us
explanation of how language can be applied to position the object. The users of
this function are able to use language in evaluating things and people. This
feature can be discussed further through appraisal systems.
b.
Appraisal System
It
has been given an overview about the connection of interpersonal meanings and
appraisal systems in the previous point. Martin and Rose (2003:22) define
appraisal system as a system that can be used to negotiate social relationship
by telling the listeners or readers what author feels about things and people.
The remark is supported by Butt’s explanation (2000:120). He said that by deciding certain
lexicogrammatical patterns, speakers are able to position their audience
through appraisal systems.
Moreover, effective listeners and readers need
awareness to face the positioning. It will help them to understand whether they
agree or not. Leeuwen (2008:45) also gives a picture about appraisal in which
he states that when evaluating “social actors”, appraisal system is used. They
are evaluated as “good or bad, loved or hated, admired and pitied.”
Martin
and Rose (2003:25) distinct three basic systems for appraisal i.e. attitude,
amplification and source.
- Attitude
According
to Martin and Rose (2003:25), attitudes deal with our proposition about
people’s feelings (affect), people’s character (judgement) and the value of
things (appreciation). Expressing our feelings (affect) can be both, positive
or negative, and directly or indirectly (implicit).
Affect has to do with somebody’s feeling. This kind
of feeling has connection with emotional evaluation, for example, ‘I hate
people who cheat’. Affect can be identified by the presence of verbs related to
emotional process (mental process) such as to
like, to dislike, to frighten, to attract. Moreover, it can be seen through the use of adverbs and
adverbs of manner like happily and sadly. In addition, it can be found by
looking at adjectives of emotion like happy,
sad, mad, enthusiastic, interested etc.
Because it’s related to evaluation,
affect can be positive or negative. Expressing affect can be done in two ways,
which is, directly or implied. Direct affect can be seen through emotional
state such as afraid, fascinated, frightened and physical expression such as withdrawn and shake
uncontrollably. In contrast to direct affect, the implied one can be seen
through extraordinary behaviour like wander
from window to window, drank too much
and metaphor like dull like the dead,.
The diagram of affect can be seen below.
Judgment is related to normative evaluation, which
deals with rules, norms, and behavioural convention. In other words, it deals with
morals, ethics, legal and social rules. Judgment make the objects are evaluated
as legal or illegal, polite or impolite, moral or immoral.
Judgment is differentiated into two, that is,
personal judgment (admiration and criticism) and moral judgment (praise and
condemnation). Same as affect judgment is expressed through direct and implied
ways. Metaphor plays an important role in judging people’s character
implicitly. Judging people’s character can be either positive or negative. The
table below shows the example for judgement of character (Martin and Rose,
2003:30).
The third kind of attitude is
appreciation. Appreciation deals with evaluation toward things which includes
real (movies, fashion, buildings, panoramas etc) and abstract ones (questions,
relationships, quality of life). Appreciation is similar to both of previous
kinds of attitude (affect and judgment) in that it can be conveyed positively
or negatively. The diagram below shows the classification of appreciation.
The
important matter in analysing appraisal comes in the borderline of character
and value. Martin & Rose (2003:35) suggest researchers to take co-text into
account as it influence context sensitivity. Analysing co-text deeply will
helpful in finding the context rather than analysing item by item.
- Amplification
Amplifying
attitudes explain us how strongly (gradable) our feeling about someone or
something. They include amplifying the force of attitudes, and sharpening and
softening focus. Amplifying the force of attitudes is marked by the presence
intensifiers such as very, extremely, quite etc. The intensifiers could have scales such as slightly more/a little more/a lot more/far more or less than/as much as/more than. They can also represent
excess of feeling like not enough/enough/too much. They also include quantity (all/several/some of...), manner degree (uncontrollably/excitedly) and modality (there
must, would, might have been...). Vocabularies identifying degrees of intensity are
called attitudinal lexis, for instance happy/delighted/ecstatic. Attitudinal lexis also includes metaphors and swearing.
Amplifying attitudes also involve focus, which by
Martin and Rose (2003:41) are argued as resources that are used for making
something that is “inherently non-gradable gradable.” There are two kinds of
focus i.e. sharpening such as exactly,
very, precisely and softening focus such as not quite, about etc.
Details of amplifying attitudes are available in the diagram below.
3. Source
The
other discussion of appraisal system is about source of attitudes. It deals
with from who the evaluations are coming. Source involves monogloss (the source
of attitude comes from the author) and heterogloss (the source of attitude
comes from other than authors).
According to Halliday in Martin and Rose (2003:44),
people usually report and quote what people say and think. This kind of
linguistic resource is called ‘projection’. Modality also plays an important
role in graduation in that it sets up a semantic space between yes and no,
gives space between positive and negative poles. There are two kinds of
modality, that is, negotiating services and negotiating information. It can be
seen in gradable (from positive to negative) domain of demanding services e.g. do it/you must do it/you should do it/you
could do it/don’t do it. While
negotiating services deals with ‘how obliged’, ‘how inclined’ and ‘how able’;
negotiating information deals with ‘how usual’ and ‘how probable’.
On the other hand, it doesn’t require speech marks but
either reporting or quoting which availably identified by the presence of words
or phrases like I realized..., I know...,
I wish..., I can’t understand if he doesn’t know.... It also can be identified
through ‘speech act’ naming e.g. a few
lines, a letter, my story, substantial extracts. Beside it, in clause level projection can be
found where “it assigns responsibility for opinions to sources”. It uses other
words of ‘saying’ such as claim to be,
which sees, been regarded as, may deem.
Concession is the third discussion dealing with
source. It is commonly marked by counterfactual conjunction (but, even
if, instead of), continuatives
that are like conjunction but they occur inside the clause (already, finally, still, only, just, even).
5.
Research Methods
5.1
Type of Research
This
research is a type of library research since the data in the form of news item
text about Major Hashimoto written in thejakartapost.com
and news.nationalpost.com.
It is also a qualitative research since it focuses on answering question how.
According to Arikunto in Afniawati (2008: 26), a qualitative research
emphasizes on how phenomena happen. In
the other hand, a quantitative research is a kind of research which involves
number and statistics. Since this research tries to explain how appraisal
system is used in news item texts, then it is grouped into qualitative one. Methods
in presenting the result is descriptive as it tries to give pictures of what
can be interpret from the findings.
5.2
Data and the Source
The
data in this research are compiled from two news item texts containing the same
topic, that is, Major Hashimoto’s comment toward the use of sex slave during
the World War II period by Japanese soldiers. The data are taken from news site
i.e. thejakartapost.com (May 15, 2013) and news.nationalpost.com (May 30, 2013). The
data is in the form of clause.
5.3
Sample, Population, and Sampling Technique
Population
in this research is all clauses in both news items. Purposive sampling
technique is applied since only clauses containing appraisal values are used as
data. The writer applies total sampling technique in this research. It means all
the data population are used as samples.
5.4
Methods of Collecting Data
Based
on the research corpus which is written text from news site of
thejakartapost.com and news.nationalpost.com, the research is classified into
library research. The data is collected through documentation in which the
writer collects the text from internet then documenting it. The writer applies
SBLC technique (non participant observation) by Sudaryanto when collecting data
from internet. When documenting it note taking and file compiling is used.
Collecting data is started by typing keyword i.e the
news topic that interests the writer. This step puts the writer at ease in
which news item with similar topic mostly appear simultaneously. Next she
chooses two news item texts from different source. The objects are recorded to
identify the clause containing appraisal items. Those selected clause will be
the object of analyses.
5.5
Methods of Analysing Data
The
writer’s ways in analysing data are following steps: observing, classifying and
interpreting to identify the similarity and the difference between both texts. In
analysing the data, the writer applies referential and distributional methods
by Sudaryanto. These methods are applied to classify the data into certain
types of appraisal system. After the steps are completed, the findings then
interpreted by using inferential identity methods.
Formal and informal techniques are applied in
presenting the result of the analyses. Informal technique is the way compiling
writing using casual words although with its technical terminology. On the
other hand, formal technique is that one with the use of signs and symbols
(Sudaryanto, 1993:145). Formal technique is applied to present the appraisal
system detected in the data, while formal technique is applied in presenting
the result data which is in the form of tables and symbols. The methods of
presenting the result are following these steps:
- Utterances
containing appraisal items are marked
2. The
marked utterances are classified into certain types of appraisal items
3. the
data will be analysed qualitatively to get to know the similar and different
use of appraisal system in both ssources
4. In
addition, tables of appraisal are used to get the quantitative data which are
useful in comparing the analysis from both sources
5.5
Examples of Analysis
Examples
of appraisal items (from text “Hashimoto’s Dirty, Old Mindset”
thejakartapost.com)
It is almost unthinkable that Toro Hashimoto, mayor of Osaka — Japan’s second largest city after Tokyo — has no sense of shame in repeating the irresponsible habits of several ultranationalist or right wing
politicians who continue to irritate
Japan’s neighbors, which suffered at
the hands of Japanese military occupation before and during World War II.
By applying referential method analyzing
the data is done. Words, phrases and clauses conveying appraisal items are
analyzed since appraisal items can be found in various kinds of structure.
Words, phrases and clauses suspected containing appraisal items are matched
with the characteristics or features of appraisal types. This step is done to
classify them belong to which kind of appraisal. Then, inferential method is
used to interpret the findings.
According to what is being appraised,
there are three basic systems in appraisal i.e affect, judgment and
appreciation. Affect deals with people’s feeling, judgment deals with people’s
character and appreciation deals with the value of things.
The paragraph is evaluative as it
describes feelings and reactions to people and things. The writer of the
passage expresses his/her attitude to Hashimoto and his attitude. In the
beginning, the writer (of the news item) evaluates Hashimoto’s behavior. The writer uses word ‘unthinkable’, a direct
expression for showing judgment that
Hashimoto did something that could not be considered by people’s thought.
In the next clause the writer mentions
the position of Osaka as ‘second largest city after Tokyo’ to give proof that Osaka has remarkable position in Japan. The
writer gives his/her positive
appreciation to Osaka. After that,
the writer gives opinion whether Hashimoto, the major of Osaka, ‘has no sense
of shame’. The phrase states condemnation
(negative moral judgment) obviously that Hashimoto’s behaviour is negative
as ‘shame’ has to do with the feeling guilty because of his own or someone
else’s behaviour. Hashimoto is mentioned as a major of an important city, an
occupation which requires the character of leader. As people expect, leaders
should have good behaviour so they can be role models for their people.
Judging Hashimoto’s attitude continued by telling
the readers that Hashimoto ‘repeats the irresponsible habits’ ‘of several
ultranationalist’ ‘who continued to irritate Japan’s neighbor’. Once again,
Hashimoto is judged negatively. It shows that what have been done by Hashimoto
is not the first. It is even called as ‘habits’ that have been done by the
predecessors of Hashimoto i.e right wing politicians. These behaviours are
considered as negative judgment in
that resulting in ‘irritate Japan’s neighbor’, a harmful condition. Stating implicitly that Hashimoto’s behavior is
a negative continual habit from his predecessors represents by put the impacts
up.
TOKYO — The mayor of Japan’s second-largest city survived a censure motion Thursday over his inflammatory comments about Japan’s
wartime sex slavery, remarks that sparked
an international uproar.
The writer of the news item starts the evaluation by
mentioning ‘the major of Japan’s second largest city’. It is an implied positive personal judgment
since it represents how important is Hashimoto by stating him as the first
person in that influential city. After appreciating, on the contrary, the
writer positions Hashimoto as a survivor of ‘censure’ motion over his
‘inflammatory’ comments. The word ‘censure’ used to emphasize that people give
bad response while ‘inflammatory’ emphasizes how the comment is negative.
Hashimoto faced it because of his statement giving negative, inconvenient
reaction. Both of the words are negative
moral judgment (condemnation) and are stated directly.
Discussing
the impacts of the comments is continued by stating that Hashimoto’s comments
have received great response (uproar) from the international even it is a small
matter (spark). The clause ‘remarks that sparked an international uproar’ is a negative implied appreciation as it
tries to say how the remarks are big deals by giving a prove instead of saying
directly that they are big.
From the analysis above, the writer concludes that the
first source focuses on discussing the correlation between Hashimoto’s
background, history about previous case and the inconvenience feeling suffered
by the victims. The second source gives attention to the world’s reaction toward
what he has been done. On the contrary, both sources are similar in that both
of them try to contrast great things about Japan, especially Osaka, with the ‘low’
attitude of the figure.
5.6
Schedules
|
No
|
Research Activities
|
Time Allotment
(hours)
|
|
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
|
Finding/choosing a
topic
Reviewing Literature
Writing Proposals
Presenting Data
-
Collecting Data
-
Documenting
-
Transcribing
-
Identifying and
Classifying
Analysing Data
|
40
340
200
48
5
24
72
168
|
|
Total
|
897
|
References
Afniawati. 2008. “Appraisal system
in the Memoir ‘A Man Named Dave’ by Dave Pelzer”. Undergraduate Thesis.
Semarang: Diponegoro University
Butt, David et al. 2001. Using Functional Grammar: An Explorer’s Guide 2nd edition.
Sydney: National Centre for English Language Teaching.
Leeuwen, Van. 2008. Discourse and Practice: New Tools for Critical Discourse Analysis.
Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Martin, J.R and Rose, David. 2003. Working with Discourse: Meaning Beyond The
Clause. New York: Continuum.
Rahyono, FX et al. “Kearifan dalam Bahasa: Sebuah
Tinjauan Pragmatik terhadap Profil Kebahasaan Media Massa pada Masa Orde Baru”,
in MAKARA, Sosial Humaniora, Vol. 9,
No.2, December 2005: 45-46. Depok: Fakultas Ilmu Pengetahuan Budaya Universitas Indonesia.
Sudaryanto. 1993.
Metode dan Aneka Teknik Analisis Bahasa. Yogyakarta: Duta Wacana University
Press
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