Language and attitudes of invisible minds: an appraisal analysis of cyber discourse

Abstract

This study examines the interactions of different participants on Yahoo Singapore and Yahoo Philippines using the Martin and Rose (2011) Appraisal Theory, focusing on the interpersonal aspects of discourse, ATTITUDE is used as the framework for a Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA). Blogging in the cyberworld, as a different channel of communication, allows the people of a society to discuss issues that matter most to them. The method used to foreground the underlying discourse is an attempt to understand the influence of various elements of the environment surrounding the respondents and participants. This study is an attempt to identify how the discourse employed in the cyber community is influenced by different elements in society, to provide some understanding of how blogging can be used as a potential tool for learning and education. Blogging, as part of social networking is not only about self expression but also provides a broader perspective in terms of teaching and learning that can be insightful. This is because understanding how choice shapes language, and how language shapes choice, is important in the learning process. Since education is regarded as one of the main phases for change, learning to be aware of what is going on in the world is just one of the aspects of the ‘cyber world’ that can be taught to students, and also can have a big part in changing how teachers and students view education, specifically regarding English Language Teaching (ELT).