Evaluative Language and the Construction of Social Division: A Hypothetical Model Based on Appraisal Theory
Keywords:
Evaluative Language, Social Division, Common Enemy Effect, Appraisal Theory, Discourse AnalysisAbstract
This article proposes a hypothetical model to account for the discursive construction of social division through evaluative language. Integrating theories of social conflict and the common enemy effect with Appraisal Theory from Systemic Functional Linguistics, the study adopts a qualitative conceptual approach that emphasizes theoretical synthesis over empirical data collection. Social division is mapped onto the Attitude, Graduation, and Engagement subsystems, revealing that it emerges from patterned configurations such as moral judgment of out-groups, intensification of evaluative force, and restriction of alternative perspectives. The model elucidates mechanisms underlying polarization in political, social, and educational contexts, and demonstrates how Appraisal Theory provides a systematic linguistic framework for future research linking macro-level social theories with micro-level language analysis.
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