Difficulties in Translation of Publicistic Headlines and their Pragmatic Aspect

       - AID ROW: PRESTDENT ATTACTED (=…The President has attacked.)

       - AID ROW: PRESTDENT ATTACTED CRITICS (=…The President has attacked her critics.)

      - Boy Found Safe (= The missing boy had been found safe.)

      - Boy Find Safe (= A boy has found a safe.)

h. A color is often used to separate the subject of a headline from what is said about it.

    Strikes: PM to ACT.

Motorway crash: Death toll rises. Quotation marks (‘…’) are used to show that words were said by some body else, and that the newspaper does not necessarily claim that they are time.

      - Crash Driver ‘Had been drinking’.

A question mark (?) is often used when something is not certain.

      - Crisis over by September? [5, p.48-50]

Short words save space, and so they are very common in newspaper headlines. Some of the short words in headlines are unusual in ordinary language (e.g. curb, meaning ’restrict’ or ‘restriction’), and some are used in special senses which they do not often have in ordinary language (e.g. big, meaning ‘attempt’). Other words are chosen not because they are short, but because they sound dramatic (e.g. blare, which means ‘big fire’, and is used in headlines to refer to any fire). The following is a list of common headline vocabulary. [6, p.346-355]

Act - take action: do something.

      -Foot Crisis: Government to act.

Aid – military or financial help: to help

       -More aid for poor countries.

       -Unions aid hospital strikers.

Alert – alarm, warning.

         -Flood alert on east coast.

Allege – make on accusation. 

           - Woman alleges unfair treatment.

Appears – appear in court accused of a crime. 

             - MP to appear on drugs charges.

Axe – abolish, close down: abolition, closure.

        - Country bus services axed.     

        -  Small schools face axe. [6, p.346-355]

Knowledge as to the usage of the pun’s mechanisms in publicity lead to better understanding of the specificity of English press and may be used in the theory of translation or during the creation of newspaper or advertisement headline with the help of a pun.

The headline (the title given to a news item or article) is a dependent form of newspaper writing. It is in fact a part of a larger whole. The specific functional and linguistic features of the headline provide sufficient ground for isolating and analyzing it as a specific “genre” of journalism. The main function of the headline is to inform the reader briefly what the text that follows is about. But apart from its, headlines often contain elements of appraisal i.e. they show the reporter’s or the paper’s attitude to the facts reported or commented on, thus also performing the function of instructing the reader. [7, p.300]

English headlines are short and catching; they “compact the gist of news stories into a few eye-snaring words. A skillfully turned out headlines tells a story, or enough of it, to arouse or satisfy the reader’s curiosity.”

Such group headlines are almost a summary of the information contained in the news item or article.

The functions and the peculiar nature of English headlines predetermine the choice of the language means used. The vocabulary groups considered in the analysis of brief news items are commonly found in headlines.

An excellent way for a more advanced learner to increase their English proficiency is to read an English-language newspaper on a regular basis. Most people who read a newspaper do so selectively and skim though the pages looking for the most interesting-looking articles to read first.  They usually make their choice on the basis of the headlines of the articles. And this is where the difficulty for the non-native speaker of English arises, since newspaper headlines are often extremely difficult to understand. There are two main reasons for this. The first reason is that newspaper headlines have to be brief and consequently use words that are rarely used in everyday speech or indeed in the rest of the article itself. (Probe for investigation, blast for explosion etc.) And the second reason is that headline writers, at least in British newspapers, look for every opportunity to include a pun in their headlines. It is the main aspect of newspaper headlines that we want to concentrate on in this work. [8, p.88]

All the headlines of all types (primary or page headlines, secondary or paper headlines, paper subsection headlines, leads and captions) of the local daily called Kauno diena) is emotionally destructive and people should be aware of this in order to diminish its emotional impact.

By the basic functions of newspaper titles nominativna, informing, communicative, and also pragmatic or attraktivna, that will realize the action of text, his having a special purpose orientation. Exactly some researchers consider this function basic, as setting of title consists above all things in bringing in of attention to the article, in creation of stimulus for its reading, which is often achieved by the use of the system of expressive means of languages, among which an important place is taken a play on words. [9, p.88] 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

1.3. Linguistic peculiarities of publicistic headlines

The role of newspaper in the nowadays life and its influence on the modern society is generally recognized. The printed media remains one of the oldest a most effective way to communicate the freshness news. Newspaper has the following basic features: brief news items, advertisements and announcements, the editorial and the headline. This paper investigates only one element of the newspaper- the headline.

By the pragmatic effect of application of play on words in this title arising up as a result of combination of frock’n’roll, that is paradoxical on character and owns a fully certain estimating plan is something amusing and unusual. Appropriately to assume that speech in the article will go about the place of woman in modern music. A question is this serious, however estimating a plan, formed the element of frock that is brought in a title complex bring in the tint of sarcasm in the supposed interpretation of problem the author of the article. [10, p.88]

The following title gives the very dim picture of Te, what theme of the article:

Ugly noises from Los Angeles mayor’s nest

An author orients a reader in the value of attitude toward the described facts, them marks and uses a play on words: mayor’s nest omonimichno mare’s nest – to expression, that a “senseless device” means, and the question is about machinations on selections, thus one of candidates – mer city Los-Angeles. A pun in dannomu case carries expressively stylistic information which represents author emotionally evaluation attitude toward an object, or expressively cognitive setting of this linguistic registration of idea. Negative attitude of author is here traced toward a situation which was folded on elections, and a pun specifies on personality which to a certain extent is herein guilty, and characterizes her. Except for it, a pun is directed on Te, to come into notice of reader to the described events and compel him not only to laugh above them but change their motion. [11, p.52]

The short and capacious form of this pun is based on the vivid use of languages. Exactly an associative vivid component adds maintenance a reception convincing and bright character which predetermines him attractive function. In spite of trouble of information which is stopped up in a title, a reader gets certain aesthetically beautiful pleasure at his reading.

Attention is attracted the satiric orientation of title, reader will want to read a note. The example of pun, beaten element based on etymologyzation is the English title:

Sweetest Tattoo

The article is about creation of artist I. Isupova, which attained extraordinary trade in art of tattoo.

In a stylistic relation this case is imposition: simultaneous actualization and beating of auditive and etymologic values of word “tattoo” takes place- 1) tattoo; 2) prohibition [11, p.772]. Connection of metaphoric-metonymy appears between LSV: overt associations (tattoo –that it is forbidden) and transferences for contiguity (prohibition as subject action and tattoo is as a result of this prohibition), and epithet of “sweetest” – the “sweet” contains illusion on biblical really a fruit is “forbidden”. Tempting and beauty of tattoo is in a great deal conditioned exactly the prohibition imposed on her. The use in the title of English dissemination has, cleanly linguistic base: the semantic structure of the English noun of “tattoo”, unlike proper him loan-word in Russian (what has one only, visual value), enables to express in one entrance both LSV of this unit. In the considered example is very brightly expressed marked researchers pragmatic a meaningful feature of pun is aspiring to most semantic capacity at the use of the least of means of languages. [12, p.375]

The article about plagiarism of sings of commodities is published under a title: Sony against Soni. The article of beating and mean of creation of visual effect is exactly different graphic design components of pun at community of their sounding. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

1. 4. On the applicability of publicistic headlines

The publicistic style has its spoken variety – the radio and TV

Commentaries and the oratorical sub – style. The written sub – styles are the essay and journalistic articles in newspapers, magazines and journals. The basic aim of the publicistic style is to exert an influence on public opinion, to convince the reader or the listener that the interpretation given by the writer or the speaker is correct and to make them accept his or her views though logical argumentation and emotional appeal. [13.p.159] The development of the radio and television has brought into a new spoken variety namely the radio commentary. The other two are the essay (moral, social, economic) in newspapers and magazines. The general aim as we have said is to exert a constant and deep influence on public opinion. Publicistic style is also characterized by brevity of expression. In some varieties of this style it becomes a leading feature and important linguistic means. In essays brevity sometimes becomes epigrammatic. [14.p.824] The most characteristic language features of the essay remain:

- Brevity of expression

- The use of the first person singular which justified a personal approach treated.

- The use of emotive words.

- The use of similes and metaphors.

Some essay depending on the writer’s individuality is written in a highly emotional manner resembling the style of emotive prose. Others resemble scientific prose. The essay in our days is often biographical: persons; facts and events are taken from life. These essays differ from those of previous centuries, their vocabulary is simpler. [15.p.27] 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

1.5. Publicistic headlines under pragmatic aspect  

“Pragmatics studies the factors that govern our choice of language in social interaction and the effects of our choice on others.” [16, David Crystal]

Pragmatics is concerned with the study of meaning as communicated by a speaker (or writer) and interpreted by a listener (or reader). It has, consequently, more to do with the analysis of what people mean by their utterances than what the words or phrases in those utterances might mean by themselves. Pragmatics is the study of speaker meaning. This type of study necessary involves the interpretation of what people mean in a particular context and how the context influences what is said. It requires a consideration of how speakers organize what to say in accordance with who they’re talking to, where, when, and under what circumstances. Pragmatics is the study of contextual meaning. This approach also necessary explores how listeners can make inferences about what is said in order to arrive at an interpretation of the speaker’s intended meaning. This type of study explores how a great deal of what is unsaid is recognized as part of what is communicated. We might say that it is the investigation of invisible meaning. Pragmatics is the study of how more gets communicated than is said.                                                                                                                This perspective then raises the question of what determines the choice between the said and the unsaid. The basic answer is tied to the notion of distance. Closeness, whether it is physical, social, or conceptual, implies shared experience. On the assumption of how close or distant the listener is speakers determine how much needs to be said. Pragmatics is the study of the expression of relative distance. These are the four areas that pragmatics is concerned with. To understand how it got to be that way, we have to briefly review its relationship with other areas of linguistic analysis. [17, p.3]                                                                                                          “Pragmatics is all about the meanings between the lexis and the grammar and the phonology...Meanings are implied and the rules being followed are unspoken, unwritten ones.”[16, George Keith]                                                                                                                 

“Pragmatics is a way of investigating how sense can be made of certain texts even when, from a semantic viewpoint, the text seems to be either incomplete or to have a different meaning to what is really intended. Consider a sign seen in a children's wear shop window: “Baby Sale - lots of bargains”. We know without asking that there are no babies are for sale - that what is for sale are items used for babies. Pragmatics allows us to investigate how this “meaning beyond the words” can be understood without ambiguity. The extra meaning is there, not because of the semantic aspects of the words themselves, but because we share certain contextual knowledge with the writer or speaker of the text.  
 
“Pragmatics is an important area of study for your course. A simplified way of thinking about pragmatics is to recognize, for example, that language needs to be kept interesting - a speaker or writer does not want to bore a listener or reader, for example, by being over-long or tedious. So, humans strive to find linguistic means to make a text, perhaps, shorter, more interesting, more relevant, more purposeful or more personal. Pragmatics allows this. ” [16, Steve Campsall]

George Keith notes that: “The vast majority of pragmatics studies have been devoted to conversation, where the silent influence of context and the undercurrents are most fascinating...”

But he goes on to show how written texts of various kinds can be illuminated by pragmatics, and he cites particular examples from literature. Pragmatics gives us ways into any written text. Take the following example, which is a headline from the Guardian newspaper of May 10, 2002. This read:  “Health crisis looms as life expectancy soars.”                                                                    

If we study the semantics of the headline, we may be puzzled. The metaphor (“soars”) indicates an increase in the average life-expectancy of the UK population. Most of us are living longer. So why is this crisis for health? Pragmatics supplies the answer. The headline writer assumes that we share his or her understanding that the crisis is not in the health or longevity of the nation, but in the financial cost to our society of providing health care for these long-living people. The UK needs to pay more and employ more people to provide this care. Reading the article will show this. Or take any item of unsolicited mail more or less at random - such as a letter sent to me by Mr. David Moyes, the manager of Everton Football Club. Mr. Moyes opens with an invitation: “SUPPORT YOUR TEAM”, followed by the question:

“How would you like to support Everton and receive some excellent benefits at the same time?”

After this come details of a Platinum Plus credit card and some associated offers of free gifts. The letter closes with a copy of Mr. Moyes' signature, with his name and position (“Team Manager”) in print below. We can conjecture that the immediate writer of this letter is not Mr. Moyes, but someone with knowledge of financial products, employed by the club to help raise money from fans. I can be more confident that this is so, since it is only a few months since I received a near-identical letter, bearing the signature of the previous manager, Mr. Walter Smith. The writer assumes that he or she is addressing people who have at some point described themselves as supporters of Everton FC - the mail shot will have gone only to names on a database of such potential cardholders. Closer inspection suggests that the letter does not necessarily come from the club, as “Everton” appears in a typeface different from the surrounding text - prompting the thought that the card issuer (MBNA Europe bank Limited) is the real source of the letter, and has signed up various sporting clubs to endorse its product. The card issuer understands that recipients of such offers will rarely wish to apply for a new credit card, and therefore attempts to exploit my affection for Everton FC as a novel or sentimental reason to do so. The second half of the opening sentence may reflect a sense that most supporters do not receive “excellent benefits at the same time” - though perhaps the humour here is unintended. This kind of practical analysis is a good exercise. Sometimes a teacher will need to ask students to write it, but this will limit how much you can do. It would be better for members of a teaching group to spend five or ten minutes at least once a week, producing an unprepared spoken pragmatic reading of texts chosen at random by the teacher or student. Pragmatics as an explicit field of study is not compulsory for students taking Advanced level courses in English Language. But it is one of the five “descriptions of language” commended by the AQA syllabus B (the others are: lexis, grammar, phonology and semantics). In some kinds of study it will be odd if some consideration of pragmatics does not appear in your analysis or interpretation of data. In commenting on texts you are seeing for the first time, you may need to make use of some pragmatic concepts, as in this example, from Adrian Attwood:

“We know from the question that Text F is a sales script. The pragmatic consideration of this text makes us look for features, which are designed to reassure the potential customer rather than to inform them. Particularly, in this case, where the script is for a telephone conversation and one of the objects from the sales-person's viewpoint is to keep the other person talking. This means that the text will try to close off as many potential exits as possible and therefore be similar to some of the normal co-operative principles of spoken language.”

In language investigations or research into language, you can choose whether to undertake a task in which pragmatic analysis is appropriate. So if you really don't like it (or fear it), then you should avoid a task where its absence will look suspicious, and draw attention to your dislike. One area of language study where pragmatics is more or less unavoidable is any kind of study of spoken language in social interactions (and written forms like e-mail or computer chat that approximate to speech). In studying language and occupation or language and power, you cannot easily avoid the use of pragmatic frameworks for analysis. This guide has few examples in it, because I have supposed that you will apply the analytical methods, under your teachers' guidance, to texts that you find for yourself - including spoken data in audio and video recordings. [16]