Thematic Structure Systemic Functional Linguistics
the opposition between behavioral versus mental or relational processes. The third factor is about the structure of the clause containing the feeling. Having the term
Emoter, Emotion, and Trigger, the feelings expressed through mental processes and relational processes share a difference in nature. Mental processes take both Trigger
and Emoter as the participants while Relational processes the Emoter and the Emotion are the participants but the Trigger serves as an optional circumstance. The
fourth factor is in relation to the gradation of the feelings. The gradation of the feelings is not discrete. The lexical items themselves do the gradation. Thus the
choice of words in expressing feelings would determine the degree of the feeling. Martin and White 2001 exemplify this factors by co
ntrasting ‘disliked’, ‘hated’, and ‘detested’ as the example of low, median, and high degree of feelings. The fifth
factor is including the intention of the feelings. This factor divides the feelings into those, which belong to desideration and emotive mental processes.
The sixth factor in affect classification needs to be discussed separately from the other factors since it groups affect into three major sets. The three major
sets are namely unhappiness, insecurity, and dissatisfaction. Directly quoting from Martin and White, “The unhappiness variable covers emotions concerned
with ‘affairs of the heart’, the insecurity variable covers emotion concerned with ecosocial well-
being,…the dissatisfaction variable covers emotion concerned with telos the p
ursuit of goals” 2005: 49. From this sixth factor, accordingly, the feelings can be mapped into the following tables with the examples of the words
resembling the surge of behavior and the dispositions:
Table 2.3. The Examples of Words Resembling Types of UnHappiness
UNHAPPINESS Surge of behavior
Disposition
Unhappiness
Misery [mood: ‘in me’]
Whimper Cry
Wail Down [low]
Sad [median] Miserable [high]
Antipathy [directed feeling: ‘at you’]
Rubbish Abuse
Revile Dislike
Hate Abhor
Happiness
Cheer Chuckle
Laugh Rejoice
Cheerful Buoyant
Jubilant Affection
Shake hands Hug
Embrace Be fond of
Love Adore
Table 2.4. The Examples of Words Resembling Types of InSecurity
INSECURITY Surge of behavior
Disposition
Insecurity
Disquiet Restless
Twitching Shaking
Uneasy Anxious
Freaked out Surprise
Start Cry out
Faint Startled
Jolted Staggered
Security
Confidence Declare
Assert Proclaim
Together Confident
Assured Trust
Delegate Commit
Entrust Comfortable with
Confident inabout Trusting
Table 2.5. The Examples of Words Resembling Types of DisSatisfaction
DISSATISFACTION Surge of behavior
Disposition Insecurity
Ennui Fidget
Yawn Tune out
Flat Stale
Jaded Surprise
Caution Scold
Castigate Cross, bored with
Angry, sick of Furious, fed up with
Security
Interest Attentive
Busy Industrious
Involved Absorbed
Engrossed Pleasure
Pat on the back Compliment
Reward Satisfied, impressed
Pleased, charmed Chuffed, thrilled
The previous tables present the possibilities of the realization of the affect into unhappiness, insecurity, and dissatisfaction. The words as the realization are
not limited to those in the tables, but any addition should pay attention to the semantic typology of the words. The main point of the categorization is the different
domains of the feelings. Unhappiness is from the emoter, insecurity is from the trigger, while dissatisfaction can come from both the emoter and the trigger.
Judgment is one type of attitude that evaluates people and their behavior. Different from affect, in judgment, the evaluation is not personal. It means that the
evaluation is based on the norms or principles existed in the society. Therefore, the analysis or the categorization of this attitude is different from those in affect.
Table 2.6. The Examples of Words Resembling Types of Social Esteem SOCIAL ESTEEM
Positive [admire] Negative [criticize]
Normality
‘how special?’ Lucky, fortunate,
charmed, normal, natural, familiar, …
Unlucky, hapless, star- crossed, odd, peculiar,
eccentric, …
Capacity
‘how capable?’ Powerful,
vigorous, robust, sound, healthy,
fit,… Mild, weak, whimpy,
unsound, sick, crippled, …
Tenacity
‘how dependable?’ Plucky, brave, heroic,
cautious, wary, patient, …
Timid, cowardly, gutless, rash,
impatient, impetuous, …
Table 2.7. The Examples of Words Resembling Types of Social Sanction SOCIAL SANCTION
Positive [praise] Negative [condemn]
veracity
‘how honest?’ Truthful, honest,
credible, frank, candid, direct
, … Dishonest,
deceitful, lying,
deceptive, manipulative, devious,
…
propriety
‘howfar beyond reproach?’
Good, moral, ethical, law abiding, fair, just, …
Bad, immoral,
evil, corrupt, unfair, unjust, …