A Systematic Review of Appraisal Theoretical Research in Translation Studies Published Between 2017 and 2024
Abstract
This study analyzed 57 peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters published between 2017 and mid-November 2024, indexed in BITRA and Google Scholar that applied Martin and White’s Appraisal Theory (AT) in Translation Studies. Using a descriptive, exploratory method, the study examined the publications’ annual and geographical distribution, specialized areas, language pairs, and focus on AT components. Findings showed that AT remains a popular framework in TS, especially for literary (16 studies) and news (6 studies) texts. Chinese-English was the most common language pair (15 studies) and geographically, China led with 17 publications, followed by Indonesia (9), Spain (8), and other countries. Among AT’s subsystems, appreciation (42 instances) and judgement (41) were most frequently applied, followed by affect (37) and graduation (24), while engagement was least explored. The study noted the absence of research from traditionally influential TS countries, such as Australia, Canada, and the US. These findings underscore ongoing trends and gaps in AT application within TS, highlighting opportunities for future research.
Keywords:
Affect, Appraisal theory, Appreciation, Domains, Engagement, Graduation, JudgmentReferences
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