Mistaking Comment Adjuncts For Conjunctive Adjuncts Of Comparison

Martin & Rose (136-7):

Likewise indeed means ‘even more than expected’, while at least means ‘less than expected’. Tutu argues that losing the right to sue is a higher than expected price to pay:

... the victim loses the right to sue for civil damages in compensation from the perpetrator.
That is indeed a high price to ask the victims to pay...

Helena claims that her men are victims of spiritual murder, and that being unable to rest is less than they should expect:

Spiritual murder is more inhumane than a messy, physical murder.
At least a murder victim rests.

An example from the spoken mode is the following (from Forgiveness), in which Zako counters Luke’s expectant question:

Luke: You believe this shit?
Zako: Actually I do.

Blogger Comments:

[1] To be clear, in this instance, at the very least, indeed does not mean 'even more than expected' — which, in any case, is the interpersonal meaning of a subclass of mood Adjuncts of intensity (Halliday & Matthiessen 2014: 188-9), not the textual (or "logical") meaning of a conjunctive relation (Halliday & Matthiessen 2014: 612-4).  If it did mean 'even more than expected', it would mean the same as:

That is even a high price to ask a victim to pay. 

In terms of interpersonal meaning, indeed here serves as a factual comment Adjunct (Halliday & Matthiessen 2014: 191), meaning the same as:

That is, as a matter of fact, a high price to ask a victim to pay.

In terms of textual meaning, rebranded by Martin & Rose as logical, indeed marks a relation of verifactive clarification (elaboration), which the authors misconstrue as a subtype of comparison (enhancement); see Halliday & Matthiessen 2014: 613).

[2] To be clear, at least does not mean 'less than expected' — which, in any case, is the interpersonal meaning of a subclass of mood Adjuncts of intensity (Halliday & Matthiessen 2014: 188-9), not the textual (or "logical") meaning of a conjunctive relation (Halliday & Matthiessen 2014: 612-4).  If it did mean 'less than expected', it would mean the same as:

A murder victim merely rests.

In terms of interpersonal meaning, at least here might be interpreted as serving as a comment Adjunct of desirability (Halliday & Matthiessen 2014: 191).

In terms of textual meaning, rebranded by Martin & Rose as logical, at least can mark a relation of corrective clarification (elaboration), which the authors misconstrue as a subtype of comparison (enhancement); see Halliday & Matthiessen 2014: 613). However, this is not the case in this instance, since, if it did, it would mean the same as:

Or rather, a murder victim rests.

The conjunctive relation is this instance, which is not marked by at least, is implicit cause:

Spiritual murder is more inhumane than a messy, physical murder
(because) At least a murder victim rests. 

[3] To be clear, in this instance, at the very least, actually does not mean 'less than expected' — which, in any case, is the interpersonal meaning of a subclass of mood Adjuncts of intensity (Halliday & Matthiessen 2014: 188-9), not the textual (or "logical") meaning of a conjunctive relation (Halliday & Matthiessen 2014: 612-4).  If it did mean 'less than expected', it would mean the same as:

I merely do. 

In terms of interpersonal meaning, actually here serves as a factual comment Adjunct (Halliday & Matthiessen 2014: 191), meaning the same as:

As a matter of fact, I do.

In terms of textual meaning, rebranded by Martin & Rose as logical, actually marks a relation of verifactive clarification (elaboration), which the authors misconstrue as a subtype of comparison (enhancement); see Halliday & Matthiessen 2014: 613).