A Critical Discourse Analysis Of News On "Google Out Of China" In New York Times

With ten successive reports on Google out of mainland China in The New York Times as language materials, the present study analyzes them by adopting Appraisal Theory as analytical tool under the macro guidance of three--dimensional framework of Fairclough. It explores the distribution features of appraisal resources in the news reports and how reporters manipulate these language resources to influence and align readers.Findings of present study are summed up as follows: Firstly, Appraisal resources abound in American news reports, no matter whether they are ATTITUDE resources or ENGAGEMENT resources. Secondly, under ATTITUDE system, JUDGMENT occupies the largest proportion, followed by APPRECIATION and AFFECT taking up the smallest proportion. Most JUDGMENT values are realized by implicit assessments while most APPRECIATION and AFFECT values are realized by explicit ones. On the whole, the evaluative bias tends to be negative. Thirdly, under ENGAGEMENT system,"dialogistic expansion"resources outnumber"dialogistic contraction"ones. Under the framework of"expansion"and"contraction"subcategories,"acknowledge"and"disclaim"occupy the largest proportion respectively. Last but not least, by resorting to Appraisal resources, The New York Times makes unjust reports on Google out of mainland China which are embedded ideological color and exert a negative guidance of public opinions.The significance of present study lies in the following: first, the Google event has been studied in the fields of Internet security, Internet regulation system, economy as well as foreign affairs. The present study makes a research on Google event from linguistic perspective, which promotes the multidisciplinary exchange. Second, the present study analyzes Google event with CDA approach to reveal the hidden ideology in texts, which can help English learners to improve their critical awareness and anti-control awareness.