Attitudesfor

Attitudesfor is a neologism used in discourse analysis and linguistics to describe the set of evaluative attitudes that express support for a proposition, outcome, or course of action. The term is formed from attitude and the preposition for, signaling alignment with the advocated position. In practice, attitudesfor labels statements in which the speaker conveys endorsement, desirability, or positive affect toward a topic, rather than merely describing or arguing about it.

Origin and usage: While not yet standardized, the term has appeared in discussions of stance-taking frameworks, alongside categories such as stance, claims, evidence, and attitudesagainst. Analysts identify attitudesfor by looking for evaluative adjectives, positive affect, and commitment indicators that indicate support for the proposition.

In discourse analysis, attitudesfor contrasts with attitudesagainst, which mark opposition, and with neutral attitudesabout, which convey evaluative distance or description without endorsement. The categorization helps map rhetorical strategies in political speeches, opinion articles, and social media posts.

Examples and limitations: For instance, a statement like This policy will improve public health can be analyzed as containing attitudesfor toward the policy; I advocate for renewable energy because it reduces emissions likewise demonstrates attitudesfor toward renewable energy. The boundary between attitudesfor and simple argument can be fluid, depending on context, speaker intent, and audience interpretation. Some researchers prefer formal annotation schemes that separate attitude from stance and from stance toward propositions.

Variations and see also: Some writers hyphenate or use attitudes-for or attitudinal-for in different schemas. See also stance-taking, affect, and evaluative language.