DIAPOSITIVA 1

The language of newspapers

The nature of newspaper language

Newspapers →18th C

 used by the government for promoting their own interest

 structure and style →formal

→19th C - 20th C
 1821→ “Manchester Guardian”
 1829→ “ The Times”
 1896→ “Daily Mail”
 1900→ “Daily Express”
 1903→”Daily Mirror”

DIAPOSITIVA 2
 Newspaper formats

Three categories → Tabloid→ small

Provide sensation

→ Broadsheet →big

Provide information

→middle-market paper
DIAPOSITIVA 3

Differences between tabloid and broadsheets/ compact newspapers

* Headlines
* Paragraphs
* Typographical features
* Punctuation
* Alliterative- rhetorical patterning
* Sentence structure
* Co-ordinators in the initial position
* Adverbials
* Modifiers
* Lexis
* Angle

DIAPOSITIVA 4

Newspaper ideologies

Whether a newspaper is: broadsheet, Tabloid or middle-market, reflects the Point of view
of its owner and its editor

Diapositiva 5

The function of newspaper language

*function→referential

*local newspapers as community bulletins

*newspapers can be influential

*broadsheets associated with educated professional people

*tabloids associated with traditional working class

Diapositiva 6

Features of newspaper language

Headlines

Three kinds of headlines → main headline

→strapline or overline

→subheadline

Headlines need to be simple, easily readable and appropriate

Choice of words→affected by ideas to be expressed, kind or reader

and paper’s house style

style of headlines→simple and create impact

headlines→omission of many grammatical function words,

copula verbs and auxiliaries

DIAPOSITIVA 7

Ambiguity

Headlines with two meanings

Ambiguity occur→a word interpreted differently

→different connotations of words alter meaning

→word order altered to make headline concise

→punctuation is omitted
 DIAPOSITIVA 8

Reports
Reflect the ideology of newspapers

Information excluded as important as information included

Selective perception

DIAPOSITIVA 9

Lexis

vocabulary→formal or informal

The way participants are named

Naming of location important

Connotation of words

Modifiers

Adverbials

DIAPOSITIVA 10

Grammar

Tabloids →simple sentences

Paragraphs no more than three sentences

broadsheets → compound sentences

long paragraphs

tabloids and broadsheets→variety of sentence structures

DIAPOSITIVA 11

Style

Different ways of reordering material in sentences

Marked themes

passive voice

Direct or indirect speech

Direct speech→ recreate the personal experiences of ordinary people

→made up of→ quoting clause

quoted clause

Indirect speech→ paraphrase of actual words spoken→reported clause

DIAPOSITIVA 12

Sources

Quality papers→ cite official sources

tabloids→quote ordinary people

DIAPOSITIVA 13

Types of newspaper reports

 action stories

 statement and opinion stories

 running stories