Abstract

Background: The semantic Engagement framework, which is part of Martin & White's (2005) Appraisal theory of analyzing interpersonal meanings within Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL), deals with the use of interpersonal language of negotiation by analyzing the language of discourse as Monoglossic or Heteroglossic, based on whether or not writers consider alternate positions in the discourse. Purpose: This research paper aims to reveal the Engagement patterns of argumentative essays written by female university (EFL) students in Saudi Arabia. It investigates their use of Engagement resources and, more specifically, which Heteroglossic approach is applied in their writings. The paper further looks at which Engagement is commonly used by these students, and which they use less frequently. Finally, the paper compares how the Saudi university (EFL) students, and other (EFL) English learners use these Engagement resources in their writing. Methodology: In this study, a total of 28 argumentative essays, comprising 7,873 words, were manually analyzed. Engagement words within the essays were highlighted and classified according to Martin and White's (2005) Engagement framework in Appraisal Theory. The essays were then uploaded to the UAM Corpus Tool for further coding and analysis. Findings: The findings show that Saudi university students predominantly use Entertainment resources, favoring them over attribution resources to create space for alternate arguments. Disclaiming resources are also commonly utilized, as students employ disclaimers to counter or deny propositions. Originality: This research contributes to understanding how Saudi EFL students engage with different voices in their writing, offering valuable insights for educators and curriculum developers.