Media are the dominating presenters of language in our society. News language has a mass audience, it´s the few talking to the many, and thus has enormous power and influence in the world. This term paper will analyse some important works of linguistic theory concerning the language in the news, especially focussing on the print language of newspapers. Chapter 2 wants to give a brief introduction into the field, that means it gives some definitions extracted from different sources to the general meaning of newspaper language. The theoretical background knowledge like e. g. explicit linguistic tools that are characteristic and exclusively found in newspaper language are being presented in the following chapters. Here, I will try to demonstrate in how far the role of linguistic structure is extremely important in the construction of language in the news. The explained analytic devices will be better illustrated by examples taken from select British newspapers, all dealing with the Harold Shipman case, one of the most spectacular event in British media. Harold Shipman, a British general practitioner, was the most prolific known serial killer in the history of Britain who killed around 250 patients from the 1970s to 1998, mainly elderly women who lived alone and were otherwise in good health. He was eventually caught after he ineptly forged a new will in the name of one of his victims. Shipman was convicted on 15 sample charges in 2000 and sentenced to life imprisonment. “Dr. Death” (the media gave him this nickname) committed suicide in 2004, without admitting to or explaining his crimes.
The style of the Sun newspaper is very different from that of the Guardian, and the readerships of the two papers are very distinct in socioeconomical terms. Therefore, the reports by four different British newspapers concerning this topic are being examined and compared, namely the Guardian, the Daily Telegraph, the Daily Mirror and The Sun. After all, this paper wants to prove that news is a representation of a construction of social and economic values, and not a value-free reflection of “facts”. It is written to look at the way the news texts present, and to a certain extent create or at least influence, aspects of our (in this case the British) culture and society.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- 1 Introduction
- 2 The Language in the News - pure facts or subjective ideas?
- 2.1 What is News?
- 2.2 Newspapers
- 2.3 News Style
- 2.3.1 Headlines
- 3 The linguistic structure in the Press
- 3.1 Oral models in the Press
- 3.2 Linguistic tools in newspaper language - an overview
- 3.2.1 Transitivity
- 3.2.2 Lexical Structure
- 3.2.3 Interpersonal Elements
- 3.2.3.1 Modality
- 3.2.3.2 Speech Acts
- 4 Conclusion
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This term paper analyzes the language used in news reporting, specifically focusing on British newspapers' coverage of the Harold Shipman case. The paper aims to demonstrate that news is not a neutral reflection of facts but rather a social construction reflecting prevailing values and beliefs. The analysis uses linguistic tools to illustrate how language shapes the presentation and potential influence of news on society. * The nature of news as a social construct rather than objective truth. * The linguistic devices employed in newspaper language to shape meaning and perspective. * A comparative analysis of news coverage across different British newspapers. * The influence of socio-economic factors on news presentation and readership. * The role of language in constructing and reflecting cultural values.Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
1 Introduction: This introductory chapter sets the stage for the paper by establishing the significant influence of media language, particularly in news reporting, on a mass audience. It highlights the paper's focus on the linguistic analysis of newspapers, using the Harold Shipman case as a prominent example. The chapter introduces the theoretical framework that will guide the analysis, emphasizing the importance of linguistic structure in shaping news narratives. It also briefly introduces the different British newspapers whose reports on the Shipman case will be analyzed, emphasizing the variations in their styles and reader demographics. The chapter concludes by stating the paper's aim to demonstrate that news is a social construct rather than an objective reflection of facts.
2 The Language in the News - pure facts or subjective ideas?: This chapter delves into the core characteristics of news writing, encompassing sentence structure, vocabulary, information order, tone, and the intended readership. It introduces the theory that newspaper content isn't objective fact but rather a socially constructed representation of ideas and values, challenging the journalist's notion of impartiality. The chapter explores what constitutes news, questioning the editorial control over the selection and exclusion of information and its implications for readers' understanding of events. It uses examples such as the media's portrayal of dog attacks to highlight how such portrayals influence public perception and subsequent changes in legislation.
3 The linguistic structure in the Press: This chapter focuses on the linguistic tools employed in newspaper language. It examines how oral models influence the writing style and how specific linguistic tools such as transitivity, lexical structure, and interpersonal elements (modality and speech acts) contribute to shaping meaning. This section likely provides a detailed overview of these linguistic concepts, explaining their function in constructing news narratives. The analysis is applied to the Harold Shipman case, showcasing how different linguistic structures create varied portrayals across different newspapers.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
Newspaper language, news discourse, Harold Shipman case, British press, linguistic analysis, social construction of reality, transitivity, modality, speech acts, lexical structure, news values, media representation, socio-economic factors.
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What is the overall topic of this text?
This text is a comprehensive language preview of a term paper analyzing the language used in British newspaper reporting, specifically focusing on the Harold Shipman case. It examines how news is constructed, not as objective truth, but as a social reflection of values and beliefs. The analysis utilizes linguistic tools to understand how language shapes the presentation and influence of news.
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The preview includes a table of contents, objectives and key themes, chapter summaries, and keywords. This allows for a thorough understanding of the paper's scope and methodology before reading the full text.
What are the key themes explored in the term paper?
The key themes include the social construction of news (rather than objective truth), the linguistic devices used to shape meaning and perspective in newspapers, a comparative analysis of news coverage across different British newspapers, the influence of socio-economic factors, and the role of language in reflecting cultural values.
What specific linguistic tools are analyzed in the paper?
The paper analyzes linguistic tools such as transitivity, lexical structure, modality, and speech acts to illustrate how these elements contribute to the construction of meaning and the shaping of news narratives in the British press concerning the Harold Shipman case.
What is the role of the Harold Shipman case in this analysis?
The Harold Shipman case serves as a prominent example to illustrate the concepts discussed. The analysis compares how different newspapers covered this case, highlighting variations in their language use and the resulting impact on public perception.
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The preview suggests the paper will conclude by demonstrating that news is a social construct rather than an objective reflection of facts. The precise details of the conclusions are not fully elaborated in this preview.
Which chapters are summarized in the preview?
The preview summarizes the introduction, the chapter on the language of news, and the chapter on the linguistic structure in the press. Each summary gives a brief overview of the content and the arguments presented in that chapter.
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Keywords include newspaper language, news discourse, Harold Shipman case, British press, linguistic analysis, social construction of reality, transitivity, modality, speech acts, lexical structure, news values, media representation, and socio-economic factors.
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The intended audience appears to be an academic one, given the focus on linguistic analysis and the use of theoretical frameworks. It is likely intended for use in academic settings such as universities or research institutions.
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- Quote paper
- Denise Sajdl (Author), 2006, Aspects of Newspaper Language - newspaper coverage with focus on the example of the Harold Shipman case , Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/72047
