Abstract
We report on preliminary analysis of data drawn from a corpus of the spoken English of Xhosa speakers in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. Aimed to reveal the evaluative language used by Xhosa English speakers in the discourse of AIDS, with particular focus on affect, it was conducted using the analytical tools associated with appraisal analysis. Attitude-related expressions were classified as expressing affect, judgment, and appreciation, and grouped as either inscribed or evoked. Thereafter, all items expressing affect were classified as expressing happiness, security, or satisfaction and valued, positively or negatively, within the context of AIDS in the Xhosa culture. Findings reveal that the majority of feelings are implied, and reflect negative security. In order to provide a basis for comparison and to test the effect of topic and tenor, we performed a matched affect analysis on discussions about the bucket system which offers useful insights, suggesting that topic has an important effect on appraisal choices. A general pattern emerges which throws light on attitudes to AIDS, shows that appraisal can usefully be applied to a range of linguistic fields of study, and that it can inform AIDS educational campaigns in South Africa, where a similar evoked and implicit approach is evident.
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