Appraisal in the Inaugural Addresses of the President of America from Bush Senior to Obama

Oct 13, 2025 by wbrum.org 34 views

Appraisal in the Inaugural Addresses of the President of America from Bush Senior to Obama

Introduction

The inauguration speech of the President of the United States is a significant event that marks the beginning of a new era in American politics. It is a moment of great hope and promise, where the newly elected leader sets the tone for their administration and outlines their vision for the country. However, beyond the rhetoric and grand gestures, the inauguration speech is also a masterclass in emotional manipulation. In this study, we will explore how the emotions are expressed through the Appraisal theory lens, specifically in the attitude sub-system, in the inauguration speeches of the United States Presidents from George H.W. Bush to Barack Obama.

Understanding Appraisal Theory

Appraisal theory is a linguistic framework that seeks to understand how human emotions are formed by their assessment of a situation. It is a complex theory that involves the analysis of language to identify the emotions and attitudes that are being conveyed. In this study, we will focus on three main elements in the attitude sub-system: affect, judgment, and appreciation.

Affect refers to the basic feelings and emotions that someone feels, such as happiness, sadness, anger, and fear. Judgment refers to an assessment of something, such as good-bad, true-wrong, and appropriate. While Appreciation shows an assessment of the values or quality of something, such as beautiful, useful, and important.

Methodology

This study employed a qualitative analysis of the inauguration speech texts of the United States Presidents from George H.W. Bush to Barack Obama. The analysis focused on the three main elements in the attitude sub-system: affect, judgment, and appreciation. The results of the analysis were then compared and contrasted to identify any patterns or trends in the use of attitudinal elements in the inauguration speeches.

Results

The results of the analysis showed that Appreciation was the most dominant sub-system in the inauguration speeches of the United States Presidents from George H.W. Bush to Barack Obama. This suggests that the presidents more often use language that emphasizes the values, hopes, and goals to be achieved, such as emphasizing the importance of unity, freedom, and democracy. Judgment occupied the second position, which means the presidents also often use language that leads to an assessment of the situation faced by the nation, such as criticizing economic conditions or previous government policies. Affect, as the most dominant sub-system, shows that although there are emotions, emotional expressions directly in the inauguration speeches tend to be less.

Discussion

One of the interesting findings of this research is the use of attitudinal elements, especially in the inauguration speech of the two George W. Bush. This challenges the assumption that political speeches are always objective and free from emotions. Bush's speech shows that even in formal contexts such as the inauguration speech, leaders use language that contains emotions to connect themselves with the people and convey stronger messages.

This research provides a deeper understanding of how language is used to convey emotions in the context of political speeches. By understanding how leaders use Attitudinal elements in their speech, we can be more critical in interpreting the message to be conveyed and understand how emotions play an important role in the political process.

Conclusion

In conclusion, this study has shown that the inauguration speeches of the United States Presidents from George H.W. Bush to Barack Obama are not just formal addresses, but also emotional appeals to the American people. The use of attitudinal elements, particularly Appreciation, Judgment, and Affect, is a key feature of these speeches. This research highlights the importance of understanding the emotional nuances of political language and how it is used to shape public opinion and influence policy.

Implications

This research has several implications for the study of political language and the role of emotions in politics. Firstly, it highlights the importance of considering the emotional aspects of political language in the analysis of political speeches. Secondly, it suggests that leaders use language that contains emotions to connect with their audience and convey stronger messages. Finally, it emphasizes the need for critical thinking and interpretation of the message to be conveyed in political speeches.

Future Research Directions

Future research directions could include:

A comparative analysis of the use of attitudinal elements in the inauguration speeches of other countries.
An examination of the role of emotions in other types of political speeches, such as campaign speeches or policy speeches.
A study of the impact of attitudinal elements on public opinion and policy outcomes.

References

Martin, J. R., & White, P. R. (2005). The language of evaluation: Appraisal in English. Palgrave Macmillan.
Hunston, S. (2004). Corpora in applied linguistics. Cambridge University Press.
Stubbs, M. (2001). Words and phrases: Corpus studies of lexical semantics. Blackwell.

Appendices

Appendix A: List of inauguration speeches analyzed
Appendix B: Frequency of attitudinal elements in the inauguration speeches
Appendix C: Examples of attitudinal elements in the inauguration speeches
Appraisal in the Inaugural Addresses of the President of America from Bush Senior to Obama: A Q&A

Introduction

In our previous article, we explored how the emotions are expressed through the Appraisal theory lens, specifically in the attitude sub-system, in the inauguration speeches of the United States Presidents from George H.W. Bush to Barack Obama. In this article, we will answer some of the most frequently asked questions about the study and its findings.

Q: What is Appraisal theory?

A: Appraisal theory is a linguistic framework that seeks to understand how human emotions are formed by their assessment of a situation. It is a complex theory that involves the analysis of language to identify the emotions and attitudes that are being conveyed.

Q: What are the three main elements in the attitude sub-system?

A: The three main elements in the attitude sub-system are affect, judgment, and appreciation. Affect refers to the basic feelings and emotions that someone feels, such as happiness, sadness, anger, and fear. Judgment refers to an assessment of something, such as good-bad, true-wrong, and appropriate. While Appreciation shows an assessment of the values or quality of something, such as beautiful, useful, and important.

Q: What was the methodology used in the study?

A: The study employed a qualitative analysis of the inauguration speech texts of the United States Presidents from George H.W. Bush to Barack Obama. The analysis focused on the three main elements in the attitude sub-system: affect, judgment, and appreciation.

Q: What were the results of the study?

A: The results of the analysis showed that Appreciation was the most dominant sub-system in the inauguration speeches of the United States Presidents from George H.W. Bush to Barack Obama. This suggests that the presidents more often use language that emphasizes the values, hopes, and goals to be achieved, such as emphasizing the importance of unity, freedom, and democracy. Judgment occupied the second position, which means the presidents also often use language that leads to an assessment of the situation faced by the nation, such as criticizing economic conditions or previous government policies. Affect, as the most dominant sub-system, shows that although there are emotions, emotional expressions directly in the inauguration speeches tend to be less.

Q: What are the implications of the study?

A: The study has several implications for the study of political language and the role of emotions in politics. Firstly, it highlights the importance of considering the emotional aspects of political language in the analysis of political speeches. Secondly, it suggests that leaders use language that contains emotions to connect with their audience and convey stronger messages. Finally, it emphasizes the need for critical thinking and interpretation of the message to be conveyed in political speeches.

Q: What are the future research directions?

A: Future research directions could include:

A comparative analysis of the use of attitudinal elements in the inauguration speeches of other countries.
An examination of the role of emotions in other types of political speeches, such as campaign speeches or policy speeches.
A study of the impact of attitudinal elements on public opinion and policy outcomes.

Q: What are the limitations of the study?

A: The study has several limitations, including:

The study only analyzed the inauguration speeches of the United States Presidents from George H.W. Bush to Barack Obama.
The study only focused on the three main elements in the attitude sub-system: affect, judgment, and appreciation.
The study did not examine the impact of attitudinal elements on public opinion and policy outcomes.

Q: What are the practical applications of the study?

A: The study has several practical applications, including:

Understanding the emotional nuances of political language and how it is used to shape public opinion and influence policy.
Developing more effective strategies for analyzing and interpreting political speeches.
Improving the ability of politicians to connect with their audience and convey stronger messages.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the study of appraisal in the inaugural addresses of the President of America from Bush Senior to Obama provides a deeper understanding of how language is used to convey emotions in the context of political speeches. By understanding how leaders use attitudinal elements in their speech, we can be more critical in interpreting the message to be conveyed and understand how emotions play an important role in the political process.