Abstract:
The notion of prosody in linguistics was originally applied to phonology by Firth (Palmer, 1970) to refer
to non-segmental features. Its use has been extended in Systemic Functional Linguistic theory to the levels
of grammar and discourse semantics. Here it refers to the way that interpersonal meaning spreads or
diffuses across clauses and across longer phases of discourse (Halliday, 1994; Martin, 1992, 1996). In this
paper I explore how the notion of prosodies of interpersonal meaning can inform our understanding of the
construction of evaluative stance in the introductions to academic research papers. I draw initially on
Appraisal theory (Martin, 2000) and Martin & Rose (2003) to analyse expressions of ATTITUDE I and
GRADUATION. I then consider how such expressions are used in constructing different kinds of argument,
with a particular focus on the prosodies of value that are established. An appreciation of the prosodic
patterning of interpersonal meanings and an understanding of how they function in academic discourse,
have important implications in the modelling of evaluative stance in texts in the teaching of English for
Academic Purposes. There are also broader implications for discourse analytic research in terms of methods
of coding values and of justifying coding decisions.
