1. Rhetoric in Society Construing ’hope’ in gene modification discourse:
A study of inscribed and invoked mental processes
Inger Lassen, Department of Languages, Culture and Aesthetics, Aalborg

2. Inger Lassen, Aalborg University
Construing ’hope’
Background and context:
The project ’Language, Society and Genomics’
The context of European skepticism
Inger Lassen, Aalborg University

3. Inger Lassen, Aalborg University
Construing ’hope’
Some purposes of this presentation:
To argue that the mental process ’hope’- in its many explicit and implicit realizations - covers a vast meaning potential, ranging on a cline between desiderative sensing processes like ’want’ to cognitive processes like ’think’.
To suggest that – whether congruent or incongruent, explicit or implicit - the meaning potential of ’hope’ expands through the interaction of appraisal resources and fundamental speech functions.
Inger Lassen, Aalborg University

4. Inger Lassen, Aalborg University
Construing ’hope’
Data and method:
Ten interviews (eleven attitudes to the crops of the future)
A Danish freelance journalist’s commission:
’Present a picture of the current attitudes to GMO and biotechnology in Denmark through interviews with approximately equal numbers of skeptics and supporters’ (Christiansen 2002: 8)
Inger Lassen, Aalborg University

5. Inger Lassen, Aalborg University
Construing ’hope’
Theoretical approach:
Systemic Functional Grammar (Halliday (1994), Halliday &Matthiessen 1999), Matthiessen (2004), Martin (1997), White (2001), Martin and Rose (2003), Martin and White (2005).
Critical Discourse Analysis (Fairclough 1995, 1998, 2003).
Inger Lassen, Aalborg University

6. Construing ’hope’ 20-11-2018 Inger Lassen, Aalborg University
Table 1: Giving or demanding, goods-&-services or information
Role in exchange
Commodity exchanged
(a) goods-&-services
(b) information
(i) giving
‘offer’
[proposal]
‘statement’
[proposition]
(ii) demanding
‘command’
‘question’
(Halliday (revised by Matthiessen 2004: 107)
Inger Lassen, Aalborg University

7. Inger Lassen, Aalborg University
Construing ’hope’
SENSING PROCESSES:
Perceptive (pre-project facts (’they heard that..’)
Emotive (pre-project facts (’they were sad that…’)
Cognitive (create worlds of ideas about information that may not be valid) (’I think’)
Desiderative (create worlds of ideas, whose materialization depends on desire) (’I want’)
Inger Lassen, Aalborg University

8. Table 2. Realization of hope in ten interviews
‘HOPE’ (in direct quotes)
ENGAGEMENT
ATTRIBUTED UTTERANCES
3 examples
ATTITUDE
AFFECT
JUDGMENT
APPRECIATION
7 examples
5 examples
MODALITY (67 examples in total)
10 examples
9 examples 43
examples 5
DISCLAIMERS
0 examples
PROCLAIMERS
Inger Lassen, Aalborg University

9. Inger Lassen, Aalborg University
Construing ’hope’
Realizations of ’hope’:
Example 1: (congruent, explicit realization)
’I hope that with time, GM technology will be recognized and used by environmentalists’ (2002: 10)
Inger Lassen, Aalborg University

10. Inger Lassen, Aalborg University
Construing ’hope’
Interaction of ’hope’, appraisal resources and speech functions:
Example 2 (3): Modalized Judgment (capacity), probability, inscribed
’By means of genetic engineering we can do this [interfere with nature: author’s comment] in a better, faster, safer and more applied manner. I am convinced that future generations will make the conclusion that GM technology has contributed greatly to making the world a better place (2000: 13) (Judgment in italics; modality underlined).
Inger Lassen, Aalborg University

11. Inger Lassen, Aalborg University
Construing ’hope’
Example 3 (8): Modulated Judgment, obligation (invoked negative Judgment of Greenpeace; inscribed positive Appreciation of GM-technology)
’When the population understands that the technology benefits the environment and sustainability – and at the same time is entirely safe – Greenpeace and the like will have to pack their bags. They will lose the battle’ (2000: 91). (Judgment in italics; modality underlined; appreciation in bold).
Inger Lassen, Aalborg University

12. Inger Lassen, Aalborg University
Construing ’hope’
Example 4 (11): Modulated objective obligation: Positive invoked Judgment of ’following the same procedure’.
’It is an utter necessity that we all follow the same procedure of approval’ (2000: 30) (Modulation underlined; Judgment in italics)
Inger Lassen, Aalborg University

13. Inger Lassen, Aalborg University
Construing ’hope’
Example 5 (16): Modulated obligation and invoked negative Judgment of experts ’saying that GM technology is safe’.
’The decisive element will be that the researchers do not make the mistake of saying that GM technology is ’completely safe’ because nothing is (2000: 83). (Modulation underlined; Judgment in italics)
Inger Lassen, Aalborg University

14. Inger Lassen, Aalborg University
Construing ’hope’
Example 6 (24): Modulated obligation and invoked negative Affect and negative Judgment of scientific experiments.
’ I want experiments in which organic crops are compared with conventional and GM crops respectively’ (2000: 23) (Modulation underlined; Affect in bold; Judgment in italics).
Inger Lassen, Aalborg University

15. Inger Lassen, Aalborg University
Construing ’hope’
Example 7: Inscribed positive Affect, positive Appreciation and positive Judgment combined with modal ’would be’(readiness/ ability/ inclination)
’It would be nice to get a GM variety with resistance against fungus and mould so I could reduce the frequency of the pesticide treatments from the present eight sprays’ (2000: 47). (Judgment in italics; Appreciation underlined; Affect in bold)
Inger Lassen, Aalborg University

16. Inger Lassen, Aalborg University
Construing ’hope’
Example 8 (35): Engagement, proclaiming combined with invoked positive Judgment and modalization.
’How long will it be before genetically engineered plants are just as accepted and sought after in Denmark and Europe as GMO medicine is? [….] It is coming. I have no doubts whatsoever’ (2000: 89). (Judgment in italics; proclaiming part in bold; modalization underlined)
Inger Lassen, Aalborg University

17. Inger Lassen, Aalborg University
Construing ’hope’
Conclusions:
The notion of ’hope’ was an all-pervading feature in the interviews analysed
GMO-proponents hoped for wide acceptance of GM-technology
GMO-skeptics hoped for improved governance and control of risk relating to GM-technology (and feared untrolled technological advance)
Inger Lassen, Aalborg University

18. Inger Lassen, Aalborg University
Construing ’hope’
Conclusions continued:
The ten interviews only had three explicit realizations of ’hope’
Instead, ’hope’ was expressed through invoked appraisal resources (in particular Judgment) combined with the modality system of probability, obligation, inclination and potentiality and through metaphors of mood and modality.
Inger Lassen, Aalborg University

19. Inger Lassen, Aalborg University
Construing ’hope’
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Inger Lassen, Aalborg University