Discourse Analysis of Attitude Resources in News Discourse from the Perspective of Appraisal Theory: A Case Study of The Economists and Allafrica on the Belt and Road Initiative

Abstract

Using the attitude system within the framework of appraisal theory, this study collected news reports on the “Belt and Road” initiative published in 2023 by the UK’s The Economists and Africa’s Allafrica platform. The study analyzed the attitude resources expressed in these reports and compared the similarities and differences in attitude expression between the two. The research found that in terms of the polarity of attitude resources, The Economists predominantly used negative resources, primarily expressing concerns and doubts about the BRI, but also affirming the initiative to a certain extent. On the other hand, Allafrica predominantly used positive resources, emphasizing the positive contributions of BRI to the economic development and infrastructure construction of African countries. Despite the significant differences in the use of attitude resources between the two media, both conveyed their specific attitudes toward the initiative through the frequent use of judgment resources and appreciation resources. This difference reflects the positions and perspectives of media from different national and cultural backgrounds in reporting on international economic cooperation.