JOURNALESE: FORM AND CONTENT

Information and news provided for the public in the form of printed matter has traditionally acquired a number of essential forms shared by publicistic writing and newspaper writing. They are: the article, the editorial, the advertisement, and the headline.

The Article

Irrespective of the character of the magazine or newspaper and divergence of subject matter – whether it is political, literary, popular-scientific or satirical, all the features of publicistic style are to be found in any article. The character of the magazine or newspaper as well as the subject chosen affects the choice and use of stylistic devices. Word of emotive meaning, for example, are few, if any, in popular scientific articles. Their exposition is more consistent and the system of connectives more expanded than, say, in a satirical article.
The language of political magazine articles differs little from that of newspaper articles. But such elements of publicistic style as rare and bookish words, neologisms (which sometimes require explanation in the text), traditional word combinations and parenthesis are more frequent here than in newspaper articles:
But as last week’s furore over Bush’s use of images from 9/11 reminded us, this election will probably be unlike any other in a long time. The stakes are so high, the emotions so raw, that it is possible to imagine a sustained and substantive argument over the U.S.’s role and rights in the world becoming its central theme. That would count as a national service, if the candidates could get past the flame throwing and lay out for the public the instincts that guide them, the hopes that they hold and the best tools to tame the fears that keep them awake at night (Time, 2004).
Literary reviews stand closer to essays both by their content and by their linguistic form. More abstract words of logical meaning are used in them, they more often resort to emotional language and less frequently to traditional set expressions.

The Editorial

Editorials, like some other types of newspaper articles, are an intermediate phenomenon bearing the stamp of both the newspaper style and the publicist style.
The function of the editorial is to influence the reader by giving an interpretation of certain facts. Editorials comment on the political and other events of the day. Their purpose is to give the editor’s opinion and interpretation of the news published and suggest to the reader that it is the correct one. Like any publicistic writing, editorials appeal not only to the reader’s mind but to his feelings as well. Hence the use of emotionally-coloured language elements, both lexical and structural. Along political words and expressions, terms, cliches and abbreviations one can find colloquial words and expressions, slang, and professionalisms. The language of editorial articles is characterized by a combination of different strata of vocabulary, which enhances the emotional effect, for example,
What a rare spirit hovers at Lord’s. Once again, that old cricket ground has shown how well it fathoms the national mood, senses what we need and then, with exquisite timing, delivering the goods. Only our greatest institutions can do that for us.
We were in need of something such as this, something to lift hearts a bit, something to restore pride, to remind us that cricket is not in decay but still young at heart, to witness a job done gracefully and well and – so welcome – victoriously (The Daily Telegraph).
Emotional colouring in editorial articles is also achieved with the help of various stylistic devices, both lexical and syntactical, the use of which is largely traditional. Editorials exploit trite stylistic means, especially metaphors and epithets, e.g., international climate, a spectacular sight, an outrageous act, brutal rule, an astounding statement, crazy policies. Traditional periphrases are also very common in newspaper editorials, such as Wall Street (American financial circles), Downing Street (the British Government), Fleet Street (the London press), the Great Powers (the biggest and strongest states), the third world, etc.
But genuine stylistic means are also frequently used, which helps the writer of the editorial to bring his idea home to the reader through the associations that genuine imagery arouses. Practically any stylistic device may be found in editorial writing, and when aptly used, such devices prove to be a powerful means of appraisal, of expressing a personal attitude to the matter in hand, of exercising the necessary emotional effect on the reader. Consider the following examples:
So if the results of the visit is the burying of the cold war, the only mourners will be people like Adenauer and the arms manufactures who profit from it. The ordinary people will dance on the grave (Daily Worker).
The stylistic effect of these sustained metaphors is essentially satirical. A similar effect is frequently achieved by the use of irony, the breaking-up of set expressions, the stylistic use of word-building, by using allusion, etc. Two types of allusion can be distinguished in newspaper article writing: a) allusions to political and other facts of the day which are indispensable and have no stylistic value, and b) historical, literary and biblical allusions which are often used to create a specific stylistic effect, largely satirical. The emotional force of expression in the editorial is often enhanced by the use of various syntactical stylistic devices. Some editorials are full of parallel constructions, various types of repetition, rhetorical questions and other syntactical stylistic means.
Now here’s a ripe thought: could George W. Bush have been British? I have never known this, but apparently when Texas was still independent and trying to join the United States on the 1840s, its president, Sam Houston, flirted with Britain (The Daily Telegraph).
Yet, the role of expressive language means and stylistic devices in the editorial should not be overestimated. They stand out against the essentially neutral background. Stylistic devices in editorials are for the most part trite – tradition reigns supreme in the language of the newspaper. Original forms of expression and fresh genuine stylistic means are comparatively rare in newspaper articles, editorial including.
Editorials as a specific genre of newspaper writing have common distinguishing features, the editorials in different papers vary in degree of emotional colouring and stylistic originality of expression. While these qualities are typical enough of the popular newspapers, such as the Daily Mirror and the Daily Mail, the so-called quality papers as The Times and The Guardian make rather a sparing use of the expressive and stylistic means of the language.
Whatever stylistic “gems” one may encounter in the newspaper, they cannot obscure the essentially traditional mode of expression characteristic of newspaper English.

Advertisements and Announcements

Advertisements made their way into the British press at an early stage of its development, i.e., in the mid-17th century. So they are as old as newspapers themselves.
The function of advertisements and announcements, like that of brief news, is to inform the reader. There are two basic types of advertisements and announcements in the modern English newspaper: classified and non-classified (separate).
In classified advertisements and announcements various kinds of information are arranged according to subject-matter into sections, each bearing an appropriate name. In most newspapers the reader never fails to find several hundred advertisements and announcements classified into groups, such as COURT CIRCULAR, TODAY’S BIRTHS, MARRIAGES, DEATHS, IN MEMORIAM, BUSINESS OFFERS, PERSONAL, etc. This classified arrangement has resulted in a number of stereotyped patterns regularly employed in newspaper advertising. Note one of the accepted patterns of classified advertisements and announcements in The Daily Telegraph:

Court Circular

Buckingham Palace
May 25th

The Princess Royal this morning opened Kemble Hall, Kemble Road, Tottenham, London №17, and was received by Miss Rosemary Warne (Deputy Lieutenant of Greater London).
Her Royal Highness, President, Riding for the Disabled Association, later visited The Diamond Center for Handicapped Riders to mark its Thirtieth Anniversary at Woodmansterne Road, Carshalton, Surry, and was received by Air Vice-Marshal Clive Evans (Deputy Lieutenant of Greater London).

Deaths

SAUNDERS. – Patrick William (Pat), on 22nd May, 2004, in his 80th year.
Beloved husband of Maureen and dearly loved father of Linda and Michael, Grandfather of Ian, Alison, Emma and Laura. Private family funeral.

Births

HARSAS. – ON 5th May, 2004, to Amanda and Patrick, a beautiful daughter, Scarlett Anne, an adored sister for Alexander and Callum.

All announcements in the Birth section are built on exactly the same elliptical pattern. This tendency to eliminate from the sentence all elements that can be done without is a traditional one in advertisement and announcement writing. The elliptic sentence structure has no stylistic function; it is purely technical – to economize space, expensive in what newspaper men call the “advertising hole”. Though of course, having become a common practice, this peculiar brevity of expression is a stylistic feature of advertisements and announcements which may take a variety of forms, for example,

TRAINED NURSE with child 2 years seeks post London preferred. – Write Box C. 268, The Times, E.C.4.

NEW AUTHORS publish your book All subject invited Write or send your manuscript to: ATHENA PRESS Queen House, 2 Holly Road, Twickenham TW1 4EG.UK.

Here the absence of all articles and some punctuation marks makes the statement telegram-like. Sentences which are grammatically complete also tend to be short and compact.
The vocabulary of classified advertisements and announcements is on the whole essentially neutral with here and there a sprinkling of emotionally coloured words or phrases used to attract the reader’s attention. Naturally, it is advertisements and announcements in the Personal section that are sometimes characterized by emotional colouring, but it is generally moderate, though editors place no restrictions on it.

ROBUST, friendly student, not entirely unintelligent, seeks Christmas vacation job. No wife, will travel, walk, ride or drive and undertake any domestic, agricultural or industrial activity. Will bidders for this curiously normal chap please write Box C. 835, The Times, E.C. 5.

As for the separate (non-classified) advertisements and announcements, the variety of language form and subject-matter is so great that hardly any essential feature common to all may be pointed out. The reader’s attention is attracted by every possible means: typographical, graphical and stylistic, both lexical and syntactical. Here is no call for brevity, as the advertiser may buy as much space as he chooses.

The Headline

The headline is the title given to a news item or a newspaper / magazine article. The main function of the headline is to inform the reader briefly of what the news that follows is about. Sometimes headlines contain elements of appraisal, i.e., “they show the reporter’s or the paper’s attitude to the facts reported. English headlines are short and catching, they compact the gist of news stories into a few eye-snaring words. A skilfully turned out headline tells a story, or enough of it, to arouse or satisfy the reader’s curiosity.” (George C. Bastian, 1956. Editing the Day’s News. N.Y.) In most of the English and American newspapers and magazines sensational headlines are quite common. The practice of headline writing is different with different editions. In many newspapers, there is, as a rule, one headline to a news item, whereas some others more often than not carry a news item or an article with two or three headlines.

RETURN TO THE CHARM OFFENSIVE (Time)

Has Chalabi given ‘sensitive’ information on U.S. interests to Iran? He denies it, but the White House is wary.
A DOUBLE GAME (Newsweek)

DOES KERRY HAVE A BETTER IDEA?
MISTAKES WERE MADE GOING INTO IRAQ, HE SAYS. HE’D UNDO THEM (Time)

Such group headlines are almost a summary of the information contained in a news item or an article.
The function and the peculiar nature of English headlines predetermine the choice of language means used. Unlike news, headlines also contain emotionally coloured words and phrases as the italicized words in the following:

UNWILLING FLUNKEYS (Daily Herald)

Crazy Waste of Youth (Reynolds News)

No Wonder Housewives are Pleading: ‘HELP’ (Daily Mirror)

Riding a Tiger in North Korea (Newsweek)

CHINKS IN THE ARMOUR (Newsweek)

Furthermore, to attract the reader’s attention, headline writers often resort to a deliberate breaking-up of set expressions, in particular fused ones, and deformation of special terms, – a stylistic device capable of producing a strong emotional effect, e.g.,

A Faint Silver Lining To An Otherwise Tragic Story (Newsweek)

Cakes and Bitter Ale (The Sunday Times)

Multilateral Fog (Daily Mirror)

Conspirator-in-chief Still at Large (The Guardian)

Compare respectively the allusive set expressions every cloud has a silver lining, cakes and ale, and the terms multilateral force and commander-in-chief.
Other stylistic devices are not infrequent in headlines, as for example, the pun, e.g., ‘And What about Watt?’ (The Observer); alliteration, e.g., Miller in Maniac Mood (The Observer).
The basic language peculiarities of headlines, however, lie in their structure. Syntactically headlines are very short sentences or phrases of a variety of patterns:
a) Nominative sentences, e.g., The Prince of Arrogance (Newsweek), The End of Europe (The Guardian), A Bridge to Nowhere (The Times).
b) Phrases with verbals, e.g., Keeping U.S. Jobs at Home (Newsweek), Betting on the EU (The Times), Made in Japan (Time), To Get US Aid (The Observer).
c) Elliptical sentences, e.g., Off to the Sun (The Observer), Still in Danger (The Observer), Copycats, Soon Dogs (Newsweek).
d) Full declarative sentences, e.g., Europe’s Newest Members Face a Rough Road Ahead (Newsweek), The Future Starts Now (Time).
e) Interrogative sentences, e.g., Is He To Blame? (Newsweek), A U.S. Link to Madrid? (Time), Ready for Europe, or No? (Newsweek).
f) Sentences with articles omitted, e.g., Frogman finds Girl in River (Daily Worker), Staff Join Teach-in by Bristol Students (The Observer).
g) Complex sentences, e.g., The Country It Should Be (Newsweek), More Transparency Means Knowing How What’s Getting Where And When (Newsweek).
h) Headlines including direct speech, e.g., The Queen: “My Deep Distress” (The Guardian), Prince Richard Says: “I Was Not In Trouble” (The Guardian).

The headline in British and American newspapers and magazines is an important vehicle of both information and appraisal, and editors give it special attention, admitting that few read beyond the headline, or at best the lead. To lure the reader into going through the whole of the item or at least a greater part of it takes a lot of skill and ingenuity on the part of the headline writer.

Activities

Questions
1. What is the function of the headline?
2. How are the group headlines different from brief news items?
3. What stylistic devices are peculiar only to headlines?
4. Describe syntactic parameters of headlines.
5. What are the two basic types of advertisements and announcements?
6. Describe the accepted patterns of classified advertisements and announcements in newspaper advertising.
7. Characterize the peculiarities of non-classified advertisements and announcements.
8. What is the editorial characterized by? How are its linguistic parameters different from brief news items?
9. What is the editorial aimed at?
10. What are the essential forms of presenting information to the public in the printed matter?

Exercises
Exercise 1. Read the article. Comment on its vocabulary and syntactical patterns. Identify its status in accord with the basic newspaper features.

TWO REPORTERS KILLED IN IRAQ

Dominic Timms, The Guardian,
Friday, May 7, 2004

The death toll among journalists working in Iraq reached another grim landmark today after gunmen opened fire on reporters, killing two and injuring a third – bringing the number of media fatalities in the Gulf conflict to 30.
The two journalists, who worked for Polish state television, were killed after a car they were driving in ran over a mine and was fired upon by unidentified gunmen, according to Lt Col Robert Strzelecki, a spokesman for Polish forces in Iraq. Waldemar Milewicz was killed together with an Algerian journalist travelling with him, who has yet to be identified.
The third journalist, cameraman Jerzy Ernst, was wounded in the arm and airlifted to an American hospital. All three worked for the Polish TVP station.
The two men were killed near the town of Mahmoudiyah, 20 miles south of Baghdad, local police said. They were travelling on a highway linking the Iraqi capital with Najaf and Karbala, scenes of fighting between local militias loyal to Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr.
Two CNN journalists were killed in the area in January. Translator and producer Duraid Isa Mohammed and driver Yasser Khatab died of multiple gunshot wounds after the convoy they were travelling in came under attack.
The latest killings come just hours after US president George Bush appeared on Iraqi TV in a damage limitation exercise, after pictures of US soldiers torturing Iraqi prisoners were broadcast around the Arab world. The PR exercise was widely scorned across the region after Mr. Bush stopped short of making a public apology. “When the President of the United States of America comes to Arab TV and tries to talk about this issue, people are expecting an apology. If he did the apology yesterday, that would be something very, very helpful,” said Ilukman Ahmed, a journalist for al-Arabiya TV, who interviewed the president.
Today’s deaths bring the number of journalists killed around the world in the last year to 44, the highest level in nearly a decade, according to figures published by press freedom campaigners Reporters Sans Frontieres.
The majority of the deaths occurred in Iraq, which has turned into one of the most dangerous wars ever for the media. Among them was Terry Lloyd, the ITN journalist killed at the start of the war in Iraq in March 2003, when his convoy came under fire from American troops.
The president of RSF, Pierre Veilletet, described the last 12 months as a “black year”.

Exercise 2. Read the article. Analyse the peculiarities of its style pointing out the stylistic devices used. Comment on the headline. Translate the article.

MAJOR BLAIR KEEPS A STIFF UPPER LIP

Andrew Gimson, The Daily Guardian,
Wednesday, May 26, 2004

There is an uneasy look in Tony Blair’s eyes. Like so many things about our Prime Minister, it is hard to pin down, but when he allows his careworn charm to lapse, he looks disconcertingly vulnerable.
Viewed for an hour from a distance of a few yards at the press conference he gave yesterday, his eyes seemed sad and lonely, while also steely and aggressive. His manner was that of an officer who is far too intelligent to imagine that the war is going well, but who feels obliged to keep his end up and to “make the best of the situation”, as he remarked at one point.
This is not Dunkirk, but perhaps one of the early engagements before Dunkirk, when Major Blair’s sangfroid and his ability to cheer up even the bolshie men under his command with an amusing remark have been undermined by lack of sleep and by a debilitating sense of strategic confusion.
It is not that Major Blair has lost faith in the strategy himself, more that he is losing faith in other people’s ability to see through the fog of battle what an excellent strategy it is. The questions at the press conference were devoted almost exclusively to Iraq, and the Prime Minister’s answers often seemed directed more to the Iraqis than to the British people.

By Galina Goumovskaya

to be continued