A Study Of The Production Mechanism Of Newspaper Headlines

Newspaper headline is a common linguistic phenomenon with distinctive charm. It not only has aroused the interests of newspaper editors, but also the linguists and rhetoricians. The author finds that the previous researches on newspaper headlines have been done from different perspectives and have made great achievements. However, these researches are mainly concerned with definitions, rhetorical effects, classifications, and so on. Few studies focus on the production mechanism of headlines. We find that a large number of headlines seemingly do not represent the articles they introduce, whereas they have close relations to their news and accurately embody the themes of news events. Furthermore, such kind of headlines usually gives rise to some special effects, that is, grabbing readers'attention and luring them to the news. However, how does this kind of headlines achieve such effects? What's the motivation of the production of headlines? At present, there are few studies on the production mechanism of headlines. This being the case, this thesis attempts to work out the underlying mechanism of the production of newspaper headlines from the perspective of cognitive linguistics.Our research goal is to set up a workable analytical framework for the newspaper headlines and this account aims to be effective and close to people's common sense. We employ a qualitative and introspective method in our study backed up by a considerable quantity of data selected from English and Chinese newspapers as well as professional books. Guided by the principles of cognitive linguistics, the present study emerges from the theoretical framework of Inheritance of Denotation/Connotation.This paper is composed of six chapters.Chapter One serves as a brief introduction of the whole thesis. We point out the objective of the study, raise the questions to be solved, describe the methodology applied in the study, and exhibit the arrangement of the thesis.Chapter Two is a literature review. The author generally reviews the previous researches on newspaper headlines done by other scholars and points out the problems they haven't solved, which this thesis aims to answer.Chapter Three is an introduction to the theoretical framework of the study. The author firstly gives a brief introduction to Stereotypical Relation and the Theory of Type-Hierarchy Structure. Then Inheritance of Denotation/Connotation Theory which serves as the theoretical framework of this thesis is introduced in detail. It lays a plausible foundation for exploring the production mechanism of newspaper headlines.Chapter Four gives a further investigation on newspaper headlines, including its definitions, characteristics, functions and classifications, which set the stage for further exploration of its inner mechanism.Chapter Five is an analysis on the production mechanism of newspaper headlines within the theoretical framework.The last chapter is the conclusion, which summarizes the findings, limitations and the implications of the research. Through the analyses of the cognitive mechanisms of newspaper headlines, within the framework of Inheritance of Denotation/Connotation Theory proposed by Xu Shenghuan, this paper arrives at several findings about the production mechanism of newspaper headlines as follows:(1) In the headline, it involves two related concepts/categories. They are in similarity or proximity relation from the aspect of their connotation(s) and/or denotation(s). Thus their relationship is established and, in certain context, the two related concepts or categories can substitute each other. (2) With so many discussions and analyses, we can conclude two phases of the inheritance of denotation/connotation of newspaper headlines:First, in the light of the writing purpose, the copy-editor will decide what is to be expressed (A) in his mind, picking out the suitable denotational/connotational element of A in accordance with the context.Second, the suitable denotational/connotational element of A imparts to B, that is to say, B substitutes A, establishing the formula of A is B in this context.(3) This thesis analyzes the underlying mechanism of the production of newspaper headlines within Inheritance of Denotation/Connotation Theory, and holds the view that Inheritance of Denotation/Connotation is the foundation for the generation of newspaper headlines. In this paper, we classify newspaper headlines into attractive headlines and ordinary headlines. It is universally acknowledged that copy-editors work on headlines with a particular purpose. We find that some headlines are made to catch readers'attention, thus they seem attractive. Whereas some headlines aim to summarize news-items, they appear rather plain for readers. In this circumstance, different headlines can achieve different effects. In fact, the effects have relations with the inheritance degree of denotational contents and/or connotational contents. Some headlines are more likely to arouse readers'curiosities for these headlines embrace more connotational contents. However, some headlines provide as much information as possible, in some sense, it is easier for readers to grasp the main idea of the news. These headlines involve more denotational contents. In a word, copy-editors are supposed to apply the connotational contents or denotational contents in a proper way, knowing which should be highlighted in headlines in accordance with their writing purposes.