Part I. Newspaper Headlines. Language Features

 

A newspaper headline gives the essence of the story. By reading it you can understand what the story is going to be about. There are usually key words that express the high point of the story.

Headlines are written in telegraphic English, a term coined because they closely resemble the wording found in most telegrams. While the consideration in telegrams is mostly monetary, the economical consideration of headlines is space.

Because headlines are restricted to a small space, copy editors generally limit headlines to one specific idea expressed forcefully, rather than several ideas expressed vaguely. If space permits, editors sometimes connect two independent thoughts by a semicolon in a headline – or add another section to the headline (a second deck) – to include additional important aspects of the story.

Here are the general language features of newspaper headlines:

1. Articles, personal pronouns, demonstrative pronouns are frequently omitted in newspaper headlines.

Sharon wins battle over settlers = Sharon has won the battle over the settlers

Mayor Jacklin hires brother = Mayor Jacklin has hired his brother

2. Verbs are often used in what is sometimes called the “historical present” tense to describe an action that has already happened. Primarily, this tense is used to convey a sense of immediacy, in the same way many people normally speak in the present tense to describe exciting experiences to friends. Present tense verbs contain fewer letters than do their past tense forms.

Drunken priest shoots mayor

3. The Present Simple can also be used to refer to events happening at the moment:

Bank expects high rate of interest in open day

4. Verbs may be omitted when implied. For example, the verb “is” is implied in the following headline:

Radcliffe back on track after two-year absence = Radcliffe is back on track after the two-year absence

5. The use of reduced verb forms is common in newspaper headlines.

a) In passive constructions the verb “to be” is frequently omitted:

The spirit of tango brought to life = The spirit of tango is brought to life

b) The infinitive is used to refer to future events:

Mugabe’s banker to visit UK for funds = Mugabe’s banker is to visit UK for funds

c) The -ing form of the verb, representing the Present Continuous, is used to refer to events that are happening at the moment:

Humbled Gregory’s underdogs looking to get in the first bite = Humbled Gregory’s underdogs are looking to get in the first bite

d) The -ing form of the verb, representing the Present Continuous, is also used to refer to future events:

Women facing poverty in old age = Women are facing poverty in the old age

6. Many short news reports are accompanied by headlines made up of only two or three words. Although a number of variations are possible, there are several fairly common combinations:

a) noun + noun:

Hooligan ban

b) adjective + noun:

Murky future

c) noun + verb:

d) noun + noun + noun:

Fire deal delay

e) noun + verb + noun:

Deloitte faces tribunal

Dog poisoned

7. Acronyms and abbreviations are often used to save space:

How CCTV made me the prime suspect (CCTV – closed-circuit television)

Turkmen fighters buzz RAF (RAF – the Royal Air Force)

8. Space-saving punctuation can be found in headlines:

Fowler: ‘Boston must win’ = (A Mr.) Fowler has declared that Boston must win

9. In order to save space, short monosyllabic verbs, nouns and adjectives are preferred over longer expressions. Moreover, newspapers often try to sensationalize news, and journalists have created their own particular jargon often referred to as tabloidese or journalese. This is the use of short powerful words that have a greater effect on the reader (e.g. rap – reprimand, slam – criticize, probe – investigate). This genre of language is not one that people actually use in normal, everyday speech. Many headlines containing examples of tabloidese are often gross exaggerations of the reality, and quite misleading.

Vanunu fights to lift curbs on his freedom (curbs – restrictions)

10. Headlines may be in a form of questions, imperative sentences, sentences with modal verbs:

Will Kaufman’s comeback knock ’em dead?

Take the gods out

O’Neill says Amoroso must wait

11. The possessive case of inanimate nouns is widely used in headlines:

Nations fight to win racing’s pot of gold

 

 

Notes

abbreviation – a shortened form of a word or the first letters of each word in the name of something (e.g. “Dr.” for “Doctor”, “PTO” for “please turn over”)

acronym – an abbreviation consisting of the first letters of each word in the name of something, pronounced as a word (e.g. “NATO” for “North Atlantic Treaty Organization”)