MediaMedia DiscourseDiscourse::thethe newspapernewspaper (2)(2)

LinguistcLinguistc aspectsaspects ofofheadlinesheadlines FromFrom thethe lexicallexical pointpoint ofof viewview::

relexicalizationrelexicalization ofof fixedfixed expressionsexpressions.. ThereThereareare headlinesheadlines whichwhich containcontain anan intertextualintertextualreferencereference (a(a quotationquotation of someof some sortsort)) toto aaproverbproverb,, sayingsaying,, anan expressionexpression ororcollocationcollocation. The. The writerwriter hashas deliberatelydeliberatelyupsetupset thethe normalnormal collocationcollocation ororphraseologicalphraseological pattern.pattern.

TheThe readerreader isis forcedforced toto interactinteract withwith thethe texttexttoto retrieveretrieve thethe writerwriter’’ss intendedintended meaningmeaning..

IntertextualIntertextual referencesreferences

SubstitutionSubstitution of a singleof a single letterletter ororphonemephoneme

Substitution of a grammatical or lexical itemSubstitution of a grammatical or lexical item Truncation or abbreviationTruncation or abbreviation ExpansionExpansion ReformulationReformulation

InIn intertextualintertextual references thereferences the informationinformationcontentcontent of theof the originaloriginal texttext isis oftenoftendrasticallydrastically changedchanged

examplesexamples

DeaDearrthth ((deathdeath) in) in VeniceVenice RRyydederr’’s (riders)s (riders) on theon the stormstorm:: TigerTiger hitshits a newa new

waterwater hazardhazard WhatWhat aa WonderfulWonderful WordWord ((worldworld)) When in Rome (When in Rome ( dodo asas thethe RomansRomans dodo)) AboutAbout a boya boy whowho survivedsurvived A (the)A (the) comedy of errorscomedy of errors forfor authorauthor of Theof The

CorrectionsCorrections ToTo (( fromfrom)) RussiaRussia withwith love:love: SarkozySarkozy jiltsjilts US inUS in

vision of new worldvision of new world orderorder WeWe willwill alwaysalways bebe strangersstrangers in the bravein the brave ee--

(new)(new)worldworld

ExamplesExamples

TheThe nakednaked and theand the ddrreadead ((deaddead))((additionaddition))

YorkshireYorkshire The Champagne ofThe Champagne ofpuddingspuddings ((collocationcollocation))

DreamsDreams ofof La Dolce VitaLa Dolce Vita Houston,Houston, WeWe HaveHave No (a)No (a) problemproblemss

TheThe headlineheadline andandinformationinformation packagingpackaging

VariousVarious linguisticlinguistic devicesdevices areare adoptedadoptedinin orderorder toto pack in the little space ofpack in the little space ofthethe headlineheadline asas muchmuch informationinformation asaspossiblepossible inin orderorder toto arousearouse thethereaderreader’’ss curiositycuriosity

TheThe grammargrammar ofof headlinesheadlines((disjunctivedisjunctive,, abbreviatedabbreviatedgrammargrammar, block, block languagelanguage)) OmissionOmission of the definite or indefiniteof the definite or indefinite articlearticle Omission of auxiliary verbsOmission of auxiliary verbs Use of passive formsUse of passive forms A limited tense system:A limited tense system: presentpresent rather than past simple to refer to arather than past simple to refer to a veryvery recentrecent pastpast

eventevent, or the future, or the future progressiveprogressive aspectaspect indicatedindicated byby a nona non--finitefinite clauseclause ElliptedEllipted formform ofof ““toto bebe toto”” ((somethingsomething thatthat hashas beenbeen

arrangedarranged)) NominalizationNominalization (a(a nounnoun insteadinstead of aof a verbverb)) ShortShort monosyllabicmonosyllabic wordswords CondensedCondensed nounnoun groupsgroups withwith longlong premodifierspremodifiers

TheThe leadlead:: linkinglinking headlineheadlinetoto storystory

AA movemove fromfrom the morethe more generalgeneral toto thethespecificspecific

The news storyThe news story

ItIt isis aa ““perishableperishable commoditycommodity withwith aa limitedlimited shelfshelf lifelife””. (. (BellBell,,1995:306)1995:306)

The newspaper has to cram as much information asThe newspaper has to cram as much information aslinguisticallylinguistically andand graphicallygraphically possiblepossible intointo thethe smallsmall spacespaceavailableavailable,, usingusing aa simplesimple structurestructure forfor thethe sakesake ofof readabilityreadability..

ThereThere are someare some invisibleinvisible cutcut--offoff pointspoints,, wherewhere thethe readerreader maymaystop,stop, whichwhich dodo notnot interfereinterfere withwith thethe cohesioncohesion of theof the texttext..

The concept ofThe concept of the invertedthe inverted pyramidpyramid is appliedis applied inin thetheorganization of informationorganization of information: after the headline the main facts: after the headline the main factsareare givengiven in thein the leadlead paragraphparagraph.. ThenThen moremore detailsdetails areare givengiven,,againagain inin orderorder of moreof more toto lessless relevancerelevance toto the story.the story.

TheThe answersanswers toto thethe traditionaltraditional WhWh questionsquestions areare packedpacked intointo aafewfew lineslines..

The news story andThe news story andinformationinformation packagingpackaging

AA briefbrief readingreading forfor anan updateupdate ofof whatwhat isisgoinggoing on (on (onlyonly thethe headlineheadline andand leadlead ofofarticlesarticles thatthat attractattract thethe readerreader’’ssattentionattention//curiositycuriosity)) maymay bebe followedfollowed byby thethereadingreading of the full storyof the full story fromfrom beginningbeginning totoend.end.

TheThe readerreader willwill findfinda) thea) the invertedinverted pyramidpyramid oraganizationoraganizationb)b) anan internalinternal structuringstructuring atat discoursediscourse levellevel

BigBig BenBen’’s littles little hiccuphiccup((headlineheadline))

(1)(1) LeadLead sentencesentence:: TheThe chimeschimes of Big Ben (of Big Ben (themetheme 1a1a))

werewere silencedsilenced forfor moremore thanthan anan hourhouronon FridayFriday night (night (rheme1rheme1)) butbut thethecausecause remainsremains a mystery,a mystery, saysayengeneersengeneers ((informantsinformants).).

Body copyBody copy

SentenceSentence 2:2: TheThe PalacePalace ofof WestminsterWestminster 147147--yearyear--

old clock,old clock, consideredconsidered toto bebe one of theone of themostmost reliablereliable in the world (in the world (themetheme 1b1b),),stoppedstopped at 10.07 (at 10.07 (rhemerheme 22).).

SentenceSentence 33

The minuteThe minute handhand ((themetheme 1c1c)) startedstartedtoto movemove againagain slowlyslowly,, butbut stalledstalled aasecondsecond time at 10,20time at 10,20 pmpm ((rhemerheme 33))wherewhere itit isis reportedreported ((anonimousanonimousinformantinformant)) toto havehave remainedremained forfor 9090minutesminutes ((rhemerheme 44)) beforebefore thethe handshands((themetheme 1c1c)) werewere reset (reset (rhemerheme 55).).(( PossiblePossible cut offcut off pointpoint))

SentenceSentence 4 / 54 / 5

44 ---- ItIt waswas thoughtthought ((anonimousanonimousinformantinformant) hot) hot weatherweather ((themetheme 2a2a))maymay havehave beenbeen toto blameblame ((rhemerheme 2a2a).).

55 –– Temperatures (Temperatures (theme 2 btheme 2 b) in) inLondon reached a high of 31.8CLondon reached a high of 31.8C((rheme 2brheme 2b), the hottest May since), the hottest May since1953.1953.

PrePre--modificationmodification::aa spacespace--savingsaving devicedevice ExamplesExamples:: The Palace of Westminster 147The Palace of Westminster 147--yearyear--old clockold clock (alternative: the clock, 147 years old, which stands on the(alternative: the clock, 147 years old, which stands on the

Palace of Westminster)Palace of Westminster) Deliberate sex infectionsDeliberate sex infections (people(people werewere deliberatelydeliberately infectedinfected withwith diseasesdiseases whichwhich areare

sexuallysexually transmittedtransmitted)) BulletBullet--likelike capsulescapsules ((capsulescapsules whichwhich looklook likelike bullettsbulletts)) AnAn American universityAmerican university teacherteacher (a(a teacherteacher inin anan AmericanAmerican

university)university) A QuakerA Quaker--run training college for teachersrun training college for teachers (a training college for teachers which is run by(a training college for teachers which is run by QuakersQuakers))

NounNoun--nounnoun sequencessequences::wealthwealth ofof meaningmeaningrelationshipsrelationships AirAir disasterdisaster > N1> N1 expressesexpresses the location ofthe location of

N2N2 Reprisal raid > N1 expresses theReprisal raid > N1 expresses the purposepurpose ofof

N2N2 BaggageBaggage inspectioninspection > N1> N1 expressesexpresses thethe

objectobject of N2of N2 AirlineAirline officialsofficials > N 2> N 2 isis employedemployed byby N1N1 BloodBlood pressurepressure > N2> N2 isis causedcaused byby N1N1 GlassGlass bottlebottle > N2> N2 isis composedcomposed of N1of N1

PostPost--modificationmodification

NonNon--restrictiverestrictive relativerelative clausesclauses..ExEx.the.the burialburial whichwhich followedfollowed aa solemnsolemn massmassin Santiagoin Santiago cathedralcathedral

Appositive noun phrasesAppositive noun phrasesex.ex. Hillary Clinton, the US Secretary of StateHillary Clinton, the US Secretary of State((tangentialtangential informationinformation, background), background)

ToTo--nounnoun complementcomplement clausesclauses:: attemptattempt,,abilityability, chance,, chance, decisiondecision,, efforteffort,, opportunityopportunitytoto.... Ex.Ex. aa decisiondecision toto acceptaccept the dealthe deal

The news story andThe news story anddiscoursediscourse structurestructure The reporterThe reporter writeswrites the basicthe basic factsfacts of a news storyof a news story

inin anan orderorder whichwhich isis farfar fromfrom the ordinarythe ordinarychronologicalchronological one.one.

TheThe outcomeoutcome of the news event takes theof the news event takes theprecedenceprecedence in the discourse structure of the storyin the discourse structure of the story

ExEx. Fur out. Fur outThe department store SelfridgesThe department store Selfridges hashas stoppedstopped sellingsellingfurfur--trimmedtrimmed glovesgloves andand clothesclothes afterafter pressurepressure fromfromcustomerscustomers andand animalanimal rightsrights campaignerscampaigners..The storyThe story isis notnot toldtold inin itsits chronologicalchronological orderorderPerceivedPerceived newsnews valuevalue overturnsoverturns temporaltemporal sequencesequence

(0)(0)SoldierSoldier killedkilled onon gungunexerciseexerciseabstractabstract ((headlineheadline)) (1) A(1) A BritishBritish soldiersoldier hashas dieddied on a liveon a live firingfiring exerciseexercise inin

Canada(Canada(abstractabstract//leadlead),), (2) the Ministry of Defence has(2) the Ministry of Defence has confirmedconfirmed ((attribution).attribution). (3a) Dale Cowe,19, from(3a) Dale Cowe,19, from BuckieBuckie inin MorayshireMorayshire,, waswas tryingtrying toto

clearclear aa stoppagestoppage inin hishis Minimi lightMinimi light machinemachine gungun ((storystoryeventevent 11,, includingincluding actoractor,action,,action, settingsetting))

(3b)(3b) whenwhen itit wentwent off (off (eventevent 22 (action, time)(action, time) (3c) and killed him ((3c) and killed him (event 3event 3, including action and, including action and actoractor).). (4a) The(4a) The RoyalRoyal MilitaryMilitary PolicePolice hashas launchedlaunched anan investigationinvestigation

((followfollow--upup:: consequenceconsequence,, reactionreaction)) (4b) and(4b) and anan accidentaccident investigationinvestigation teamteam isis beingbeing sentsent toto

Canada(Canada(ffollowollow--upup :: consequenceconsequence//reactionreaction).).

NewsNews schemataschemata(the(the storystory’’ss syntacticsyntacticstructurestructure)) TheThe perceivedperceived newsnews valuevalue overturnsoverturns

temporaltemporal sequencesequence andand imposesimposes ananorderorder completelycompletely atat oddsodds withwith linearlinearnarrativenarrative

The news story andThe news story anddiscoursediscourse presentationpresentation::participantsparticipants andand actionsactions TransitivityTransitivity givesgives thethe readerreader anan impressionimpression ofof

whatwhat tooktook placeplace in the newsin the news eventevent byby linkinglinking thethethreethree mainmain elementselements forfor creatingcreating meaningmeaning::

a) thea) the participantsparticipants oror thingsthings takingtaking partpart in thein theaction ( theaction ( the doerdoer, the, the donedone).).b) theb) the predicate orpredicate or processprocess (the(the descriptiondescription ofof whatwhathappenedhappened))c)thec)the circumstancescircumstances (the(the howhow,, wherewhere,, whenwhen,, whywhyquestionsquestions thethe readerreader asksasks aboutabout thethe eventevent))

TransitivityTransitivity analysisanalysis isis usefuluseful in thein the interpretationinterpretation ofofthe news storythe news story accordingaccording toto thethe implicationsimplications thethewriterwriter managesmanages toto introduceintroduce intointo the storythe story

HowHow meaningmeaning isis createdcreated

MeaningMeaning willwill changechange accordingaccording toto thethe orderorder inin whichwhichparticipantsparticipants, predicate and, predicate and circumstancescircumstances areare presentedpresented..

TheThe descriptionsdescriptions ofof eventsevents in thein the clauseclause maymay bebe categorisedcategorisedintointo thethe followingfollowing processesprocesses::

MaterialMaterial: the process of doing (the Prime Minister worked on: the process of doing (the Prime Minister worked onhis inaugural speech)his inaugural speech)

MentalMental: the process of sensing (the Prime Minister did not: the process of sensing (the Prime Minister did notlike being contradicted)like being contradicted)

RelationalRelational: the process of being (the P.M. is quite young): the process of being (the P.M. is quite young) BehaviouralBehavioural: the process of psycological or physical behaviour: the process of psycological or physical behaviour

(the P.M. sighed, took a(the P.M. sighed, took a deepdeep breathbreath andand startedstarted speakingspeaking)) VerbalVerbal:: thethe processprocess ofof sayingsaying (The P.M.(The P.M. confirmedconfirmed thatthat hehe

intendedintended toto standstand forfor rere--electionelection))

Participants

Participants can be of two kinds: the doer (actor) the done (goal) Their strategic positioning in the clause, or

the omission of the actor relays a differentmessage to the reader.

Ex.1 The lion (participant/actor) chased(process) the tourist ( participant/goal) lazily(circumstance) through the bush(circumstance).

examplesexamples

PolicePolice quiz womanquiz womanparticipantparticipant//actoractor processprocess participantparticipant/goal/goal

He (goal) was stabbed (process) nearly fortyHe (goal) was stabbed (process) nearly fortytimes (circumstance) as they drove along a quiettimes (circumstance) as they drove along a quietcountry lane (country lane (circumstancecircumstance)) nearnear AlverchurchAlverchurch,,WorcestershireWorcestershire ((circumstancecircumstance).).

HeHe (goal)(goal) waswas stabbedstabbed ((processprocess)) nearlynearly 4040timestimes((circumstancecircumstance))byby the roadthe road ragerage killerkiller((actoractor).).

Girl 7 (goal) murdered (process) while divorcedGirl 7 (goal) murdered (process) while divorcedmum drank in a pub (mum drank in a pub (circumstancecircumstance).).

TheThe ideologicalideological slantslant (1)(1)

The set ofThe set of ideasideas oror beliefsbeliefs throughthrough whichwhich the worldthe worldisis viewedviewed

““ItIt isis aa fundamentalfundamental principleprinciple ofof criticalcritical linguisticslinguisticsthatthat therethere isis nono invariantinvariant relationshiprelationship betweenbetween formformandand meaningmeaning: a: a linguisticlinguistic formform doesdoes notnot havehave aasinglesingle constantconstant meaningmeaning,, butbut ratherrather aa rangerange ofofpotentialpotential significancessignificances--inin--contextcontext..”” ((FowlerFowler, 1991 :, 1991 :99)99)

IdeologyIdeology isis alsoalso expressedexpressed through thethrough theconnotationsconnotations thatthat termsterms take on intake on in theirtheir particularparticularcontextcontext..

IdeologyIdeology isis mostmost effectiveeffective whenwhen itit isis notnot visiblevisible

The ideological slant (2)

Neverthless opinions become apparent from the languagechoices (lexical, grammatical, syntactical) the writer makes.

E.g. Gadafy being referred to as: Gaddafy Colonel Gaddafy Deranged ruler Mad dog The bastard A schizo The crazed dictator Mad Dog Gaddafy

VocabularyVocabulary

ToTo slantslant:: somethingsomething thatthat slantsslants isisslopingsloping ratherrather thanthan horizontalhorizontal ororverticalvertical ( It. essere obliquo, inclinato)( It. essere obliquo, inclinato)

a slant on a subject is a particular waya slant on a subject is a particular wayof thinking, especially one that isof thinking, especially one that isunfairunfair,, prejudicedprejudiced