As a result many researchers
identify a special language of headlines, often called "headlinese". The specific functional
and linguistic traits of the headline provide sufficient ground for
isolating and analyzing it as a specific 'genre' of journalism.
The choice of linguistic means
depends on the type of a newspaper and the level of literacy of its readers.
The character
of headlines depends on:
- the type of the newspaper (e.g.
a broadsheet national newspaper/ a quality newspaper; a tabloid; a local
paper);
- the editor's and commercial
ideology of the edition;
- the category of readers;
- the talent, creativeness and
beliefs of the author;
The pragmatic
functions of headlines:
- informational (these headlines shortly inform the readers about
the contexts of the articles they refer to);
- expressive (most headlines perform this function this or another way. Headlines which carry only
this function are quite rare);
- motivational (headlines with this function usually call for action.
Structurally they make use of the imperative mood);
- advertising (the aim of such headlines is to be catching, arresting the attention of the reader. Such headlines
regularly include stylistic devices and emotionally coloured structures,
phraseologisms, proverbs, and sayings. Sometimes reporters may even
transform the well-known proverbs, sayings and phraseologisms for the sake of advertising);
- intriguing (such headlines with the help of their stylistic peculiarities
arrest the reader's attention. At the same time they do not contain
information that could allow the reader judge about the context of the
article in advance).
Syntactically headlines are
very short sentences or phrases of a variety of patterns. The following patterns are the most typical:
- nominative
sentences (e.g. Gloomy Sunday);
- full declarative
sentences (e.g. Allies Now Look to London. The Present Indefinite attracts the reader and deepens
his interest. Past Indefinite is used in headlines if the event described
refers to the past);
- questions
in the form of statements (e.g. The Worse the Better?);
- interrogative
sentences (e.g. Do you Love War?);
- sentences
with articles, pronouns, link verbs omitted (e.g. Blaze Kills 15 at Party). Articles are very
frequently omitted in all types of headlines;
- elliptical
sentences as a result of the need to save space in a newspaper
and a way to attract the attention of the reader namely to the notional
words that carry the emotional load and meaning. As a rule the omitted
words are easy to restore according to the context: (with an auxiliary verb omitted (e.g. Yachtsman spotted); with the subject omitted (e.g. Will Win); with the subject and part of the predicate omitted
(e.g. Off to the Sun, Still in Danger);
- phrases
with verbals – infinitive,
participial and gerundial (e.g. France Ballet to Visit Britain, Keeping Prices Down.
The Infinitive with 'to be' helps express future action: To Get US Aid);
- complex
sentences (e.g. Senate Panel Hears Board of Military Experts
Who Favoured Losing Bidder);
- headlines
include direct speech introduced by a full sentence (e.g. Prince Richard
says: "I was not in trouble"; introduced elliptically (e.g. 'The Queen: "My
deep distress";
- inversion gives particular significance to single words or their
combinations (e.g. Nice Smile. Enid Blyton She isn't)