The language of evaluation: Paralinguistic features as a phonological domain for appraisal

Abstract

In this paper we explore the relationship between the language of evaluation and the use of paralinguistic features in reading aloud, relating Eggins & Slade's (1997) categories of appraisal with Brown's (1990) taxonomy of paralinguistic features. We mainly concentrate on two categories of appraisal: (1) affect, that is the expression of emotional states, and (2) amplification, that is the reader's aloud grading of attitudes and emotions. We present an analysis of part of The Story of Tilly, a story for children beautifully read aloud by Jackie Torrence. It seems to us that this association between paralinguistic features and appraisal may constitute a phonological domain for the description of the language of evaluation beyond the lexico-grammatical level.