Unit 2 headlines

Target Questions:

1. What is a headline?

2. What are headlines for?

3. What is special about headline language?

• What is a headline?

The headline is a unique type of text. It has a range of functions that specifically dictate its shape, content and structure, and it operates within a range of restrictions that limit the freedom of the writer. For example, the space that the headline will occupy is almost always dictated by the layout of the page, and the size of the typeface will similarly be restricted. The headline will rarely, if ever, be written by the reporter who wrote the news story. It should, in theory, encapsulate the story in a minimum number of words, attract the reader to the story and, if it appears on the front page, attract the reader to the paper.

This mix of functions immediately presents a problem: headlines can often, in their attempt to attract a reader to a story, be ambiguous or confusing.

• What are headlines for?

Newspapers are ephemeral texts, that is, they are intended only for the day they are delivering the news. They cater for a wide range of readers with a wide range of needs. Some people may read the paper thoroughly, taking in every aspect; others, probably the majority, skip certain sections and read others in more detail. Some may read only one section. And, of course, each reader may change his/her mode of reading depending on the demands of the day. The headline has the capacity to encapsulate a story, and the headlines in a particular edition give the reader the overall picture of the current news (headline content), its relative importance (visual impact and position in the paper), its classification (which section of the paper it's in – sports, finance, overseas news, etc.). In theory, then, the reader can skim the headlines and have an outline of the news of the day, and some idea of its relative impact and importance. The question is, to what extent do headlines actually work in this way?

Headlines are important in their own right. They are the first text that a newspaper reader sees when buying and reading the paper. They employ a range of creative language devices to produce short, attention-getting, highly memorable texts, and have the capacity to encapsulate an entire story in a few words.

Some of the devices the headline writer uses to create effective headlines are: sound via alliteration, homophones and rhyme; word and meaning via naming, loaded language, ambiguity and word play; syntax via the use of structures designed to focus on specific aspects of the text; non-standard structures, omission of words to create a telegraphic style. Headline writers also use selection of information; and direct and indirect address to readers or other participants in the story.

Lastly, but as importantly, headlines use graphology, the visual aspect of text, to draw the reader's eye. If you, as the reader are visually attracted to a text, and then enticed by an ambiguous or startling text, decide to buy this newspaper or read this article, the newspaper has reached its goal.

Activity 1

Here is a selection of headlines from a range of newspapers from 30 September 2001. They are in random order, and not classified according to newspaper.

• Can you tell, from the headline, what the story is about?

• If you were an editor, which of these stories would you put on the front page of your paper?

• Which would be your lead (most important) story?

1. NO HIDING PLACE FOR TERRORISTS

2. BILL TAKES HIS GIRL TO OXFORD

3. FIRE FIGHT

4. BUS STOP DAD KILLED AS HE SAVES HIS LAD

5. PUPIL SUES SCHOOL AFTER FAILING LATIN

6. POSH TURNS UP AS SUITABLE CELEBRITY

7. INTO THE WAR ZONE

8. HOPES RISE FOR OUR REPORTER CAPTURED BY TALIBAN

9. I'LL KNOCK IT ALL ON THE ED, MAMA

Compare your answers with someone else's. How much agreement is there?

• The language of headlines

Over time, headline writers have developed a vocabulary that fulfils the requirements of the headline, using words that are short, attention getting and effective. Many of the words that are 'typical' of the headline are probably rarely found outside this particular text type. A few may move from the headline into a wider field.

Some of them are chosen just as devices to use space economically. Some have the effect of being attention getting. The headline writer has a range of linguistic devices available to create headlines that will attract the reader's interest.

Activity 2

In each of the following groups of headlines, certain words and phrases have been highlighted. Can you suggest why these particular words have been used? What effect is created?

Group 1

1. AISLE NOT MARRY YOU

2. UP BEFORE THE BEAK – PECKISH SWAN GIVES MICHAEL BARRYMORE A NASTY NIP

3. LABOUR BANKS ON CELEBRITY SUPPORT

4. TITANIC KATE GOES ON DIET

Group 2

1. BRULEE MADLY DEEPLY

2. SUPER CALLY GO BALLISTIC CELTIC ARE ATROCIOUS

3. EAGLE IS LANDED

4. JOIN THE KEW FOR THE BLOOM WITH A PHEW

Group 3

1. STUPID SOPHIE GAGGED BY THE PALACE

2. HIT AND MYTH

3. EDWARD FACES A ROASTING AT ROYAL MEETING

4. TONY'S PHONEY-WAR CABINET

Group 4

1. 'COVER-UP' OUTCRY OVER FOOT -AND-MOUTH PROBE

2. THE STREETS OF CARNAGE

3. GENIUS REV BUTCHERED AT CHURCH

4. DYING SUE'S CANCER RAP

Activity 3 Taking words out: what the headline writer omits.

Look at the following headlines, and rewrite them in clear standard English, by adding any missing words. Try not to make any other changes.

PARAS FLY TO BATTLE ZONE

LAGS BLOCK CUSHY JOB FOR ARCHER

CRASH CAUSED BY FAULTY BRAKES

HIGH SCORE SAVES BOOKIES PACKET

JUVENILE COURT TO TRY SHOOTING DEFENDANTS

What classes of words are headline writers likely to omit, and why?

REMEMBER!

The headline writer needs to include the factual detail of the story in a way that will attract the reader's attention. Given that space is limited, lexical words (words that have meaning, such as nouns, main verbs, adjectives, adverbs) are far more useful to the writer than grammatical words (words that signal grammatical relationships, such as determiners – the, a, this, that, etc., auxiliary verbs be, have, do). But this can occasionally lead to ambiguity, as many lexical words depend on grammatical words to establish which word class they are. This can lead to headlines such as:

1. BRITISH LEFT WAFFLES ON FALKLAND ISLANDS

2. LUNG CANCER IN WOMEN MUSHROOMS

3. RED TAPE HOLDS UP NEW BRIDGE

4. POLICE BEGIN CAMPAIGN TO RUN DOWN JAYWALKERS

5. KIDS MAKE NUTRITIOUS SNACKS

6. PROSTITUTES APPEAL TO POPE

7. SQUAD HELPS DOG BITE VICTIM

• The meaning behind the headlines

The language of headlines is often idiomatic and full of jargon and wordplay.

Activity 4

Study the given examples.

Headline 1

GERMAN DOUBTS BEHIND SURGE IN DOLLAR

doubts – here, worries, concerns

German doubts – not the worries of German people, but rather worries about the German economy

behind – ‘behind something’ = to be the reason of something.

surge – a sudden powerful upward/forward movement

In simple English: “Worries about the state of the German economy are the reason for the sudden increase in the value of dollar/”

Headline 2

TREASURIES DIP ON PROFIT-TAKING

Treasuries – another name for US government bonds. In Britain, government bonds are called “gilts”.

dip – here, to fall

on – here, as a result of (it is often used like this in headlines.)

profit-taking – the act of selling bonds (or shares) in order to make a profit from the increase in their price.

In simple English: “The price of US government bonds falls after investors sell them following an increase in price.”

• Now read the following headlines, the explanations of some words they contain and write down your variant in simple English.

Headline 3

BANG GOES MOBILE

Bang – Bang & Olufsen, a Danish maker of television and hi-fi products

goes – here, moves into (a new area)

mobile – smth that can be moved is mobile. Here, it means the production of mobile telephones.