As the white rapper brings his shocking1A show to Britain, |
1A.. `Shocking' can certainly be seen as referencing an emotional reaction. But we notice interestingly that the emotion has been disconnected from any specific `emoter' - there is no-one who is actually presented as being `shocked'. Rather, the quality of being `shocking' is represented as being an intrinsic quality of `the show'. Accordingly, for reasons which will be explored at greater length subsequently, we do not classify such formulations as examples of Affect (though they are closely related). They are actually classed as examples of Appreciation, the mode of evaluation by which we assess the aesthetic properties of things, states of affairs, texts, performances etc. Here, as indicated above, the aesthetic qualities of Eminem's `show' is being evaluated. |
the surprising1B truth from the woman who knows him best - his ' badass mom'. |
1B. This is similar to the previous instance. Although there is a reference to an emotional reaction, the emotion has been disconnected from any human emoter and is represented as an intrinsic quality of the abstract noun `truth'. This accordingly would not be analysed as an example of Affect (but of Appreciation) |
A troubled2A man: |
2A. negative Affect (non-authorial: as Epithet) Here we do have an emoter - the `man', Eminem, who is said to be generally in the emotional state of being troubled. |
Debbie says her son's vitriol2B is an act |
2B negative Affect (non-authorial: as Noun). The emoter is `her son' (Eminem) |
I think Eminem is filthy3A - and I'm his mum |
3A Although we might feel that a strong emotional feeling underlies such a term, this is NOT Affect, since it's not actually referring to a particular response by some human emoter. This, as we will see, is actually and example of a Judgement value - it indicates an ethical or normative assessment of Eminem (by his mother) |
FOUL-mouthed rap sensation Eminem - real name Marshall Mathers - has horrified4A parents with his graphic lyrics, many aimed at his own mother Debbie MathersBriggs. But this is what she thinks of him... |
4A non-authorial negative Affect |
WHEN my son Marshall - that's his name, not Eminem - first got into rap as a teenager he would wake me at 5am to ask me what words rhymed with what. I bought him a dictionary and it all went downhill from there. Because of what Marshall has written, to his fans I am the most hated person on this planet. I've been spat on by kids in the supermarket. Yet I do know him, probably better than anyone, and I want to try and explain to his British fans - and all the parents who I know are horrified by the lyrics to his songs - what makes my son tick.
