In this paper the headline of English-speaking newspapers and magazines has been studied as an independent and effective persuasive element of a text. In this paper I want to discuss, how susceptible are we to linguistic style? How profoundly can the impact of a message be enhanced by the manner in which it is written, assuming that one and the same thought can be expressed with different stylistic tools?
The choice of words reflects not only differences in evaluations (positive or negative) or in emotions - it is also able to thrust reader’s attitude to the core of a message and to direct and control one’s perception and comprehension. The paper claims that language can be a very powerful and persuasive tool which draws the readers’ attention, being operated by skilful editors in a newspaper or magazine headline. In this regard, the purpose of the paper is to address and answer the research question: “How persuasion is realized linguistically across the English-speaking newspaper and magazine headlines?”
The study of headline as a powerful and persuasive linguistic tool can be applicable to multiple spheres of public life and to various media of information (e.g.: political campaigns, slogans, advertising, publication of new directives issued by the European Commission, etc.). It is interesting to observe, what kind of stylistic devices and persuasive techniques news editors apply in headlines during the election campaigns in France (in 2007), in order to create public opinion or to provoke a certain reaction from the readers.
Periodicals are cultural artefacts which are created and which function within a certain cultural context. That is, they operate within the value system of that culture. Schäffner noted that “any political action is prepared, accompanied, controlled and influenced by language” . According to M. Foucault , who first introduced aspect of power in construction of meaning, things have no meaning in themselves, they gain meaning which varies from context to context. All cultural practices depend on meaning and are constructed within discourse. Consequently, language is not simply a medium carrying meaning, but a medium constructing meaning. This paper argues that a headline in newspapers and magazines holds a persuasive potential and is able to direct construction of a certain context for interpreting and affecting reader’s emotions. It gives grounds for claiming that same facts can be interpreted differently in different contexts.
Table of Contents
I. Introduction
II. Persuasion in mass media discourse
II. Pragmatic potential in headlines. Role of headlines in published mass media
III. Persuasive potential in headlines
IV. Analysis of persuasive headlines in English-speaking newspapers/magazines
Concluding Remarks
Annex of Headlines
Research Objectives and Themes
This paper explores the role of newspaper headlines as independent and effective tools of persuasion within publicistic discourse. It investigates how linguistic choices, stylistic devices, and rhetorical strategies in headlines are used to shape public opinion and influence reader perception, specifically focusing on English-language media coverage during the 2007 French presidential election campaign.
- Linguistic analysis of persuasive elements in mass media headlines
- The pragmatic function of headlines as "gatekeepers" and attention-getters
- Application of rhetorical figures and neologisms in journalistic writing
- The influence of cognitive and psycholinguistic factors on news consumption
- The intersection of cultural context and media discourse
Excerpt from the Publication
II. Pragmatic potential in headlines. Role of headlines in published mass media
Pragmalinguistics deals with the problems of linguistic manipulation and persuasion. Its characteristic features are: actuality, witticism and brightness of narration, figurativeness. Pragmalinguistics is characterized by speech expressiveness and is directed by an impulse towards novelty of expressions.
“The importance of a headline for a news item hardly needs to be emphasized. It is perhaps the single most important factor that draws the reader’s attention to a story”. After photographs and graphics, headlines are the most dominant design elements on a page. They have to produce great visual impact and to draw the reader’s eye. Headlines can be defined as simplifying mechanisms that summarize and attract attention to what lies ahead in the article. Succinctness is a defining characteristic of the discourse of headlines. The headline usually contains concise information which has a very high newsworthy value according to the editor. Therefore, the wording of the headline is very important to the editor.
A headline is the first sign of the text which defines its subject matter. It has a fixed position in the text and its role is dominant. Information in a periodical is oriented to an addressee possessing a certain set of backgrounds: educational, social, professional, political, territorial, national, etc. First, headlines provide the readers with an optimally relevant presentation of their stories. Then, they guide individual readers to those specific stories which would be worth reading in a full version.
Summary of Chapters
I. Introduction: Outlines the research purpose to explore linguistic persuasion in headlines and defines the scope, focusing on the 2007 French presidential election in English-language periodicals.
II. Persuasion in mass media discourse: Examines the role of mass media as powerful information vehicles that shape social identities and use emotional influence over rational argumentation.
II. Pragmatic potential in headlines. Role of headlines in published mass media: Analyzes the function of headlines as primary attention-grabbing tools that utilize creative language to negotiate between the story and the reader.
III. Persuasive potential in headlines: Reviews the historical and theoretical context of persuasion, defining it as linguistic choices intended to alter or reinforce audience beliefs.
IV. Analysis of persuasive headlines in English-speaking newspapers/magazines: Provides a practical investigation of 14 specific headlines, demonstrating how figures of speech and neologisms create persuasive effects.
Concluding Remarks: Summarizes findings, emphasizing that headlines act as communicative devices that direct reader interpretation through sophisticated stylistic choices.
Annex of Headlines: Lists the corpus of 14 headlines analyzed throughout the paper along with their respective source citations.
Keywords
Persuasion, headlines, mass media, pragmalinguistics, discourse, rhetorical figures, newspaper, political campaign, linguistic manipulation, journalism, stylistic devices, France 2007, public opinion, reader perception, media studies.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this research?
The paper examines how newspaper headlines function as independent persuasive tools, specifically analyzing their capacity to influence reader attitudes and perceptions.
What is the main research question?
The author seeks to answer how persuasion is realized linguistically across English-speaking newspaper and magazine headlines.
Which period and events does the study analyze?
The study focuses on headlines from English-language periodicals, such as The Economist, The Guardian, and The Observer, covering the 2007 presidential election campaign in France.
What methodology is employed in the analysis?
The research adopts a pragmalinguistic approach, examining a corpus of 14 headlines to identify rhetorical figures, metaphors, and other stylistic devices used to persuade the reader.
What is the role of a headline according to the author?
The author defines a headline as a negotiator between stories and readers, serving as an attention-getting mechanism that summarizes news while guiding reader interpretation.
Which theoretical frameworks inform this study?
The paper incorporates insights from cognitive linguistics, psycholinguistics, and theories on the pragmatic function of discourse and mass media influence.
How do "misleading expectations" affect the reader?
The author notes that when a headline creates a semantic opposition or contradiction with the actual article content, it can serve as a persuasive technique to provoke reader curiosity or irony.
Why are neologisms important in this context?
Neologisms are identified as a universal feature of the press used to create fresh, catchy, and original narratives that capture the audience's attention more effectively than standard vocabulary.
How does the "time deficit" factor influence headline writing?
The author argues that because readers have limited time, headlines must be short and impactful to ensure the reader extracts maximum information for minimal cognitive investment.
- Citation du texte
- M.A. Arts Nadia Ptashchenko (Auteur), 2008, Headline as a persuasive tool in publicistic discourse, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/133215
