ATTITUDINAL ANALYSIS OF THAI LEARNERS ON ENGLISH MEMES

Abstract

Language learners may experience anxiety when learning a foreign language; therefore, teachers must ensure that the environment is ideal for effective learning. This may be why language teachers chose to utilize memes in class to make the situation less stressful; yet, it can also be difficult due to cultural differences. That being the case, this paper wanted to explore the attitude of Thai Learners who were currently studying with the Stamford English Program at Stamford International University Hua Hin on English memes through group discussion with the use of the Appraisal Theory under Systemic Functional Linguistics. Through group discussions and the use of a qualitative approach linguistic analysis, the linguistic choices that revealed attitudinal meanings employed by Thai learners were investigated and analyzed to determine Thai learners' attitudes toward English memes. The findings highlighted that the learners employed Judgment the most, followed by Affect, and finally Appreciation. In terms of Judgments, learners relied more on personal judgment than moral judgment. Meanwhile for Affect meanings, learners used more happiness and unhappiness to communicate their feelings. With Appreciation, learners employed the evaluative resources more on quality. The study used the Attitude System in identifying Thai learners’ attitudes about English memes. The learners’ attitude gravitated towards emphasis on skills and competency, expression of  admiration, and openness about their emotional state.