An Analysis of Mood and Modality in Emma Watson’s Speech at theHeForShe Campaign

Abstract

This study analyzes the text of the speech Emma Watson gave
during the launch of the ”HeForShe” campaign in New York, the
United States. Based on Halliday's systemic functional linguistics
approach and discourse analysis, this study. The researcher mainly
analyzes Emma Watson's speech, which focused on several mood
and modality types. From the mood structure analysis of
interpersonal meaning, there are 72 subjects and 71 finites. While
for residue elements, there are 66 predicators, 65 complements and
39 adjuncts consisting of 34 conjunctive adjuncts, 8 circumstantial
adjuncts, and 2 mood adjuncts. The researcher discovered there are
90 declarative moods and 5 interrogative moods. Declarative is the
mood type that dominates in the speech. The result of modality is
about 44 modals in total. The modality types consist of 10 modals
of low degree, 28 modals of medium/middle degree, and 6 modals
of high degree. Watson tends to use a declarative mood that aims to
provide information about something to the audience, about gender
equality and how men should also be involved in the campaign. The
researcher found that the dominant type of modality is middle
degree modality. This means that the speaker delivers her speech
with moderate politeness.