Language patterns and attitude revisited

Abstract This paper investigates the association between language patterns and attitudinal meanings, focusing specifically on adjective complementation patterns and types of attitudes as proposed in the Appraisal framework ( Martin & White 2005 ). The investigation shows that the tripartite division of Attitude into Affect, Judgement and Appreciation can be supported with pattern differentials. The detailed scrutiny of adjective patterns with respect to the attitude system supports Bednarek’s (2009) argument that both aspects of attitudinal lexis (emotion or opinion lexis) and attitudinal target (the entity being evaluated) should be considered in analysing appraisal expressions, which leads to the proposal that Appraisal is in essence instantiated by choices made simultaneously in terms of the attitudinal lexis that is used and the attitudinal target that is involved.