This post is part one of two (part two coming soon).

In Appraisal Theory (cf. the Appraisal Web site), we talk about three systems from which a language user may choose to make interpersonal meaning: ATTITUDE, which includes the subsystems AFFECT, JUDGMENT, and APPRECIATION; ENGAGEMENT; and GRADUATION. In this post, I want to write about the third one of these and show an example from Mark 4:35–41. [NOTE: in SFL system names typically are written out in all caps, but I won’t do that from this point forward in this post so you don't think I’m shouting at you. :p].

The system of graduation is about grading meanings. There are two basic ways we do this: (1) by up- or down-scaling the degree of an evaluation, a kind of graduation referred to as **force**; or (2) by sharpening or softening semiotic boundaries between categories, a kind of graduation referred to as **focus**. Let me illustrate what I mean with a couple of examples from English (these come from this article about the OKC Thunder’s win over the Denver Nuggets on Dec 17, 2013):

*Force*
– Up-scaling: "They’re a **very good** team…"

– Down-scaling: "**Relatively** easy victories over the Spurs and Mavericks"

In the first example, the adverb *very* is used to add force to the adjective *good*. Note the difference in meaning between "They’re a good team" and "They’re a very good team." In the second example, the adverb *relatively* lowers the force of the definer *easy*.

*Focus*

– "…the Thunder once again relied on **steady** defense"

– "**Easy baskets**…" (if you’re not familiar with the context of basketball, "baskets" refers to the act of scoring a goal)

– "**truly solid** road win"

Note that the modified elements in these examples—defense, baskets—are not inherently scalable. It doesn’t make sense to say things like "very defense" or "very basket," but one *can* sharpen (or soften) the boundaries of these things so as to position their membership within the categories to which they belong. Hence, a "steady defense" is a positive evaluation that communicates a defense that is better than usual defenses in terms of consistency. "Easy" in "easy baskets" differentiates the scoring experience of the Thunder over against, say, "challenging" or "hard" or "difficult" baskets; it communicates good offensive play by the team. Note the use of "truly solid" in "truly solid road win." In this case, "truly" sharpens focus on the definer "solid," which, in turn, sharpens focus on "road win."

Now let’s turn to an example from the New Testament, namely Mark 4:35–41

Of course, there is a lot that could be said about these seven verses, but I want to draw your attention to three important instances of graduation realized by the adjective μέγας. In their lexicon based on semantic domains, Louw and Nida place μέγας in category 59 "Much, Little (Masses, Collectives, Extensions)." These terms, including the forms of μέγας, are often used to quantify but can also signify extent. In fact, Louw and Nida define μέγας (and forms) as follows: "large quantity, involving extent—much, big, great, extensive." Functionally speaking, in terms of graduation, the terms in this domain, and specifically μέγας, are somewhat ambiguous since they can be used to add force or sharpen focus. Let’s look at the Mark text.

You see that I glossed μεγάλη in v. 37 as *large* in "a **large** windstorm came…." But what exactly does *large* mean in this context? Does Mark use the term to speak of the sheer size of the storm (*large* in the sense of *big*) or the intensity of the storm (*large* in the sense of *powerful*)? The former would add force (GRADUATION : FORCE : QUANTIFICATION : mass); the latter would sharpen focus (GRADUATION : FOCUS : sharpen). There are contextual clues for interpreting it as sharpening focus. Note that Mark tells of the waves *crashing* ("casting/throwing upon" [ἐπέβαλλεν]) the boat with the result that the boat at once was swamped with water. The use of this language, particularly ἐπιβάλλω, nudges us in the direction of focus. This is no "ordinary" or "regular" storm; rather, it is an *intense* or *powerful* storm—so intense that it beat the boats and was swamping them.

In v. 39, after Jesus had spoken two words to the wind and waves so that they subsided, Mark says a *great calmness* (γαλήνη μεγάλη) occurred. *Great* in what sense of graduation? Here, too, it seems likely that sharpening focus is intended. Again, we have contextual clues that nudge us to this interpretation. First, in the narrative, it seems Mark wants to compare/contrast the intensity of the *calmness* with the intensity of the storm that once was raging. Second, while one may speak in terms that quantify calmness (e.g., "more calm" or "less calm"), calmness is not really quantifiable. However, one may differentiate between levels of calmness (that’s typically what one does when speaking of more or less calmness). That’s what appears to be going on with γαλήνη (*calmness*) in this instance. English translations like the NET Bible pick up on this and gloss "it was **dead calm**" (emphasis added).

The final instance of μέγας in this text appears in v. 41: "and they feared a **great** fear." Again we may ask, "In what sense *great*?" I would argue that, again, we are nudge toward focus. Leaving aside for the moment how one ought to define φόβος here (probably negatively [distress, terror] in light of collocation with δειλοί [*cowardly*]), it is likely that μέγας here communicates the intensity of the feeling (hence my gloss *intense fear*). However, force is also increased here through the use of cognate verb/noun: "they *feared* [φοβέω] an intense *fear* [φόβος]." This has an effect similar to repetition, a fairly common realization of GRADUATION : FORCE : INTENSIFICATION.

In part two, I will talk about the impact all this has at the level of discourse. Stay tuned!