What Did You Say? How Did You Say It? Linguistics Choices in Online Discussions

Abstract

AbstractFollowing appraisal theory (Martin & White, 2005), which examines the linguistic resources through which texts/speakers express, negotiate, and naturalize particular intersubjective or ideological positions (White, 2015), this study addresses (1) the extent to which second language (L2) learners express their attitudes toward their own and the L2 culture, and (2) the stance L2 learners take when addressing values and behaviors associated with both cultures. Analysis of the linguistic choices of L2 learners in a fourth‐year Spanish language class's online discussions revealed that the learners’ views and attitudes toward their own culture were somewhat negative, whereas their orientations in relation to the L2 culture were positively skewed. The analysis also illustrated how learners engage or disengage with their own statements and negotiate their ideological positions where the first and second cultures are concerned. Despite certain limitations and a need for further research, this study suggests that appraisal theory can provide insightful and exciting information about L2 learners’ attitudes and ideological positioning with regard to first and second cultures, indicating, therefore, that appraisal theory presents itself as a different, complementary approach to research L2 learners’ cultural discussions.