Evaluation in US and Japanese history textbooks

Xiang Gu

doi:10.1515/text-2016-0011

Article

Evaluation in US and Japanese history textbooks

Xiang Gu
Xiang Gu received his PhD from Fudan University and is currently lecturer at Fudan University. His research interests include critical discourse analysis and Systemic Functional Linguistics.

Published/Copyright: April 1, 2016

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From the journal Text & Talk Volume 36 Issue 2

Abstract

This paper attempts to make a corpus and cross-linguistic study of how the Pacific War is evaluated in US and Japanese history textbooks by drawing upon Systemic Functional Linguistics and the Appraisal System. The global pattern of evaluation in the data is such that the US history textbook gives more value to acts and things, creates an authoritative voice excluding alternative positions, and has a delicate construal for the extent of evaluation. By contrast, the Japanese history textbook displays a subjective affective stance and a flagged authorial voice strengthened by alternative positions. A detailed discourse analysis of the lexicogrammar in the Pacific War narratives of the US and Japanese history textbooks further shows different evaluation orientations for the construal of images of the United States and Japan. The US history textbook characterizes the United States as a state of military power and high morality for its military operations in the Pacific War while censuring Japan’s cruelty of attack, whereas the Japanese history textbook highlights Japan’s tenacity and voluntary acts on the battlefield while condemning the United States for its immorality of bombing.

Keywords: history textbook; discourse analysis; systemic functional linguistics; appraisal system; evaluation

About the author

Xiang Gu

Xiang Gu received his PhD from Fudan University and is currently lecturer at Fudan University. His research interests include critical discourse analysis and Systemic Functional Linguistics.

Appendix 1

Appraisal resources are marked as follows and a note is provided in brackets.

+ Positive

– Negative

T for Token

Nominalization

Attitude

Judgment: Social Esteem

Judgment: Social Sanction

Appreciation

Engagement: Contract

Engagement: Expansion

Graduation: Focus

Graduation: Force

Appendix 2

(1)

(NHT)

緒戦の勝利に日本国民は酔っていた(Happiness)。

(4)

(NHT)

日本軍は降伏することなく (+Japan’s Tenacity)。

(5)

(HSWH)

1941年4月にはソ連と日ソ中立条約を結んで (+Japan’s Veracity)

(6)

(EWH)

アメリカは日本への石油供給を停止し(–US Propriety)

(11)

(NHT)

特攻隊員の遺書

(13)

(NHT)

日本の海軍機動部隊が, ハワイの真珠湾に停泊する米太平洋艦隊を空襲した (T+Japan’s Capacity)。艦は次々に (Raise) 沈没し (T+Japan’s Capacity), 飛行機も片端から炎上して (T+Japan’s Capacity) 大 (+Reaction) 戦果をあげた (T+Japan’s Capacity)。

(16)

(NHT)

死 (+Reaction) 闘の末, 翌年２月に日本軍は撤退した (T+Japan’s Capacity)。アリューシャン列島のアッツ島では, わずか (Raise) 2000名の日本軍守備隊が２万の米軍を相手に一歩も引かず (T+Japan’s Tenacity), 弾丸や米の補給が途絶えても抵抗を続け (T+Japan’s Tenacity), 玉砕していった (Raise)。日本軍は降伏することなく (T+Japan’s Tenacity), 次々 (Raise)と玉砕していったのである (Raise)。

(17)

(EWH)

同時に日本本土への爆撃を強め (T–US Propriety) 東京をはじめ日本の主要都市の施設や住民に大きな (+Reaction) 被害を与えた (T–US Propriety)。

(20)

(NHT)

すると, ８月６日，アメリカは世界最初の原子爆弾（原爆）を広島に投下した (T–US Propriety).９日, アメリカは長崎にも原爆を投下した (T–US Propriety).アメリカ軍による日本への無差別 (–Reaction) 爆撃や, 原爆投下でも, 膨大な (+Reaction) 数の死傷者が出た (T–US Propriety)。

(21)

(HSWH)

アメリカは 8 月 6 日に広島に、9 日に長崎に原爆弾を投下し (T–US propriety)、一瞬のうちに両都市を壊滅させ (T–US propriety)、数十万 (+Soften) 人の非戦闘員を殺傷した(T–US propriety)。

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Published Online: 2016-4-1

Published in Print: 2016-3-1

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https://doi.org/10.1515/text-2016-0011

Keywords for this article

history textbook; discourse analysis; systemic functional linguistics; appraisal system; evaluation