The verbs THINK and BELIEVE

These two mental processes have the meaning of 'to consider' or 'to hold as an opinion'.

In many circumstances they function as a grammatical metaphor of modality (for modality, see next chapter). The verb THINK is related to cognition, to knowledge, consideration, opinion, concentration or mental effort. In the 115 editorials, 68 instances of THINK\THINKS\THOUGHT\THINKING have been found (0,33%). The first group of occurrences refers to the editors (here realized as I) as Sensers. First this verb occurs as a form of expressing editors' opinions, such as the following cases:

Bywater tells Why men cheat. I don't think he's making excuses for plea-bargaining. He's just and. But sum me up rather neatly. I think I've currently solved the problem by spending time cores high on the ‘ouch’ scale. I think I've made all these mistakes every time except I hav n you're not having a sex life. But I think it races when you're working hard and lunch breaks is not a habitual feeling. I used to think it was just me who forgot details, left keys on the own hair... what's wrong? I used to think it was something to do with me keeping a padlock on my that only boys can have. Personally, I think it was a poor decision to shorten a part of my body de (page 101) really made me stop and think. It describes so many men and women I've known, d Ros Miles on page 90). Personally, I think it's the only way to travel through life. The sun i is done. Now, personally, I do not think it's one of the world's great truths that ‘All the world power care enough about rape? I don't think so. I don't think they care enough about women. Did

through puberty all over again? Didn't think so. An adolescent milestone for all women (and men) i

These instances of I think function as a form of modality but they also evince editors' mental processes. In the different sentences above, related to various circumstances, 'think' appears with the meaning of believe, imagine, consider. What the editors think of or believe in include, for example, men's concern towards rape, going through puberty again, being hurt, a fascinating feature in the issue, a reader's looks, forgetting details, trusting readers, etc. The Phenomenon are clauses which refer to editors' opinions on ways to live, decisions, people's looks, a feature in a magazine, the importance of sex in a relationship.

The other instances of THINK in EWM concern the use of you to refer to readers. As has been shown before, this you is supposed to be individualized, but in fact it is a form that Fairclough (1989) calls 'synthetic personalization'. Here the editors are somehow suggesting (or even demanding) that readers think about different aspects of life, as can be seen below:

ir associated problems, you'd never think 50% of the population has one every month. Another retty dammed silly, when you come to think about it. Very good men don't say these things. Whe ing and sexy. But maybe you have to think about what you need in a man, not what you want. I ame' (page 20). It may well make you think again about your attitude to the children you know, ha successful woman you know? Did you think automatically of the richest -- or the happiest?

Some of the topics related to 'think' above include men and women relationships, attitudes to children, successful women, sex, painful procedures of cosmetic surgery, loneliness, etc.

There are also cases where editors ask readers to write about what they think.

ardly say, write to tell us what you think. David - David Durman, Editor (Woman - April 18, 1994 e parfum? Write and tell me what you think of this issue. See you next month. Eleni Kyriacou, Ed nd write and let me know what you think. Terry Terry Tavner, Editor (Chat

-Carole Russell, the new editor of Woman, who substituted David Durman, explains in a reply to my inquiry (see Appendix D), 'As well as bringing certain special features to the readers' attention, I use my letter to solicit views'. The examples above show this is the case not only in Woman but in other magazines as well. Editors highlight certain features of the issue using the mental process THINK and ask readers to write about their views. It is important for editors to know what readers think, as it may serve as a valuable contribution to the whole organization of the magazine, and as evidence of the good and bad aspects of the magazine as perceived by readers.

BELIEVE is another mental process found in my data, with 22 instances. The most common Senser for this verb is I, again representing the editor. The use of this verb being expressed by the editors suggests that in the discourse community made up by editors, the publishing company, the sponsors and the readers, the editors are allowed to express feelings and attitudes concerning several aspects of women's lives. The editors as participants are the ones who have voice, who are heard and respected in the community.

For example:

...see Michael Bywater's piece on page 82. Of course, I don't believe everything he says. But I sense a kind of truth and wisdom amidst the nuttiness. (ed 29)

I don't believe in being anti-ageing. We'll all grow older after all, and it should be a positive thing. (ed 36)

I don't believe that men and women will ever give up on each other -- (ed 42)

I'm sure there's hardly a person in the country who hasn't been hit in some way by the recession, but I believe we at SHE have a job to do in helping you to keep you cheerful. (ed 55)

The topics of the editors' beliefs are men/women relationships (ex 1 and 3), not being anti-ageing (ex 2) and offering help to women through the magazines (ex 4).

In examples 3 and 4 above, the mental process believe may be used as grammatical metaphor of modality because this verb is used in a projecting clause, expressing the editor's stance. These two cases exemplify the advertising aspect of editorials: located in a projecting clause, the initial clause serves as a form of signaling for the subsequent clause which identifies and advertises the utility of the magazine or of a feature.

The Sensers of 'believe' have also been found to be women, who in these cases believe that they are fairly or very successful at balancing all the roles demanded of them (ed 52), that their partners help enough around the house (ed 53), or that love really does conquer all (ed 69).

Women, considered as a general term are also represented by the pronoun we in the following instance:

...Literally thrown on to the streets by the people they loved and trusted -- and not, as we're led to believe, homeless of their own free will. (ed 49)

The form we here suggests intimacy, solidarity and involvement — a case of inclusive we (Fowler and Kress, 1979b; Talbot, 1992): readers, the editorial staff, everyone who shares these views is included as Sensers of believe here.

We as Sensers of 'believe' can also encapsulate editors and members of the editorial staff, as in:

We [here at SHE] look at men with affection, wry humour and sometimes anger, but always in the hope of gaining greater understanding of those with whom we share our lives. We believe in talking with men -- not at them -- and listening to what they have to say. (ed 54)

The editor here is trying to create an image that her staff favors understanding between men and women, as if men were a homogeneous group, in opposition to women, also as a homogeneous group. We in this case represents a form of corporate, exclusive we (Fowler and Kress, 1979b): the editor is talking on her behalf and on the behalf of other members of her staff.

Men and they are also Sensers of 'believe' in editorial 91:

Personally, I thought our feature, Five sex myths that men believe, should have lasted a bit longer, but the women in the office said it wasn't a problem and I wasn't to worry about it. ... Once we'd settled on our five myths, we had no trouble finding men who were happy to say on the record that yes, they did believe them.

In the world of heterosexual women projected in the editorials, it is important to know what 'men' believe in, as the excerpt from ed 91 above shows.

When 'believe' is used with you as Sensers (referring to readers in general, again an example of synthetic personalization), editors seem to offer a possible choice for readers to accept or reject what is being said, when in reality this option is just a persuasive strategy, a rhetorical mechanism to contextualize a topic being discussed in the issue. For example,

... and whether you believe in astrology or not, bet you read it! (ed 12)

If you don't believe me, then our feature, 'Turning 30', on page 22, should convince you (ed 32)

Whether or not you believe in things that go bump in the night, somehow it's always an image of a sheet-wrapped spectre howling in the night that comes to mind. (ed 82)

BELIEVE is used twice with the Senser referring to specific women, with she and this gorgeous woman as exponents.

'It's an audacious remark, but as a good-looking woman, she believes she has always been treated like a commodity anyway -- it's just that these days she takes her payment in cash, not compliments.

(ed 38)

I'm a great believer in the power of love. And so is Jacqueline on page 6. Frank was a dangerous armed robber, already convicted of several crimes when they met. This gorgeous woman believes she can change him. And Frank? He does, too (ed 75)

The participants she and this gorgeous woman occur within part of a narrative in the EWM, which is further developed in features of the issue. Here is a chart with the occurrences and Sensers of the verbs BELIEVE and THINK.

Number of occurrences 22 - 0,10%

The Sensers of BELIEVE: Pronouns/generic and specific participants

General Pronouns: you, I, we

Generic and Specific participants: women who; men; she (a high class call girl);

this gorgeous woman (who loves an armed robber) 93 per cent of women, half (who took part in a Gallup survey from She); they (men who believe in sex myths)

Number of occurrences 68 - 0, 33%

The Sensers of THINK: Pronouns, generic and specific participants Pronouns: you, I, we, anyone

Generic/Specific participants:

many people; she (a female friend who criticized an actress’ looks);

they (readers who write in with a moan); they (several readers who wrote complaining letters); he (a guest at a party who complained about women’s magazines); the only bloke who

Table 5.2 - Sensers of believe/-s/-ed/-ing and of think/-s/-ing/thought