Positive Discourse Analysis of News Discourse about Hangzhou Asian Games from the Perspective of Attitude of Appraisal Theory

This study employs Martin’s Appraisal Theory as the theoretical framework, combining it with Positive Discourse Analysis (PDA), to examine the news discourse of the Hangzhou Asian Games in China Daily. Appraisal Theory, developed within systemic functional linguistics, comprises three interrelated subsystems: Attitude, Engagement, and Graduation. Specifically, the Attitude subsystem is further divided into Affect (emotional reactions), Judgment (ethical evaluations), and Appreciation (aesthetic or functional assessments). By focusing on positive Attitude resources in the selected corpus, this research aims to reveal how media discursively construct harmonious interactions and positive social values. Different from Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), which emphasizes power critique and ideological deconstruction, PDA proposed by Martin in 1999 shifts the focus to "good news" discourse that promotes social harmony. This paper argues that through lexical choices in Affect (e.g., "enthusiasm"), Judgment (e.g., "perseverance"), and Appreciation (e.g., "grand"), the news discourse constructs China’s responsible image as a host, highlights the cultural and sports value of the Games, and fosters regional unity. The analysis demonstrates that positive Attitude resources not only enhance reader identification but also reflect China’s commitment to sustainable development and cultural exchanges, thus providing a linguistic model for positive globalization communication.