ЗАГОЛОВОЧНЫЙ КОМПЛЕКС В РОССИЙСКИХ ГАЗЕТАХ: ФУНКЦИИ И ТИПОЛОГИЯ

Acknowledgements:​

Работа выполнена при финансовой поддержке Гранта Президента РФ для молодых российских ученых – кандидатов наук (Проект МК-2850.2015.6)

While preparing this article we analyzed headlines in Russian newspapers issued in 2001-2015., chosen by means of continuous sampling. The amount of researched material comprises more than 600 headlines.

It should be noted that by definition of Lazareva E. "Headline Complex (headline set) is a subsystem of an intra-textual system comprising elements outside the text. Headline set includes headlines, rubrics, cross headings, leads, insertions (text in text), and ads. These are so-called advanced elements, united by the common feature – being closely related to the main text in terms of content, in terms of structural speech they retain some independence and are separate from the text" [2, P. 158].

Seemingly there are no problems in defining "headline". Generally speaking, it is a "name" of the text, the content of which corresponds to this text. However, there is a broader concept of this notion, characteristic of journalistic works – "headline complex", which implies natural combination of the headline itself and cross heading, rubric and lead to the material (if there is any). It is important to note that a headline and a headline complex perform different functions. Thus, the main headline functions include informative, advertising (expressive advertising) [2, P. 159], graphic and highlighting functions, integrative, composition, fixing, text-forming. Headline complex has a broader range of functions. If it includes the cross heading, it allows to avoid overloading the headline and focus only on the most important aspects of the topic and issues discussed in the article, at that informative and advertising functions of the headline complex are emphasized.

As part of this study, we will focus on the types of headline structures in Russian newspapers, categorized according to different features.

1. Types of headlines based on the form of construction. As stated by Kolesnichenko A., headlines based on form can be divided into two types –  nominative and predicative [1].

Nominative (or simple) headline is, as a rule, an incomplete sentence, phrase consisting of two nouns or a noun and an adjective. Nominative headline usually contains an assessment of the news and is accompanied by a cross heading –  an expanded sentence, giving the essence of the article. Most often all nominative headlines are verbless(Kirillova T. Night fun // Tambov Meridian of March 19, 2003. p. 6; Kostikov B. Pride, greed, anger // Arguments and Facts 2008. № 12.p. 5; Ponomareva I., Bogdanov V. Road Conflict // Russian Newspaper of February 3, 2006. p. 2; Fursov A. Migratory Death // Tambov Life of January 21, 2006. p. 2).

Predicative (or complicated) headline is a complete simple or complex sentence. Predicative headline cay be followed by a cross heading or act independently. As a rule, it is used in short news in the structure of the newspaper while nominative one is used for larger materials. Apart from that predicative headlines are to a greater extent characteristic of Internet materials than nominative ones (Gromova S. Cafes Come out to Streets // Evening Novosibirsk 2015. № 18. p. 2;. Moscow Declared War on Petrol Mafia // Russian Newspaper of February 27, 2003. p. 1, 3, Tsedric A. Jam Got to the Underground // Petrovsky Courier [Saint Petersburg]. 2015. № 16. p. 2).

Complex headline or "headline complex" is a combination of words or a simple sentence, supplemented by a cross heading; or a complex sentence with a cross heading; or a headline with a number of cross headings (Abramova E. Cottage –  Expensive Dream (cross heading: "Crisis Can Cure Suburban Housing Market") // Regional Newspaper [Sverdlovsk region] 2015. March 26, № 52. p. 2; Shimin E. Spending Last Penny on Mortgage (cross heading: "About the Third of New Settlers Buy Housing on Credit") // Tver Gazette 2015. July 1-7. № 27.p. 1, 5).

2. Types of headlines by content and lexical-semantic features.

Headline-news, headline-message, headline-chronicle. A headline reports information previously unknown to the audience. It can record events dynamics, report information in retrospective, as in a headline-chronicle (Boyarinova A. First Monument to Heroes-Motorists Opened // Evening Moscow. 2015. September 3. № 159.p. 2).

Headline-summary allows the reporter to avoid direct estimation, but at the same time comment on the event. Such headline sounds calm and narrative, "unbiased", sometimes slightly ironic or playful (Ershov Y. War Doesn't Solve Problems // Russian Newspaper. 2002. September 7, p. 7).

Headline-fact statement. It reports about already committed acts, made decisions (Egypt Hit by the Strongest Colds In Last 122 Years // As-Salam [Dagestan] January 1, 2014. № 1. p. 2).

Headlines that contain both the problem and its solution. Typically, the problem is stated in the first part of the headline, while the second one offers a  solution; or it is reported that the problem has been solved; or specified how exactly it has been solved (Nemtsov A. Compromise as Reconciliation Recipe // Municipal Herald – Nizhniaya Salda [Sverdlovsk region] 2015. March 26. № 13. p. 6).

Evaluation of something, someone's actions. It expresses approval or disapproval of someone else's actions, qualitative properties of something (Popov S. Corruption as Seen by Yakutians // Yakutia. 2015. May 15. №  52. p. 6).

Headline-instruction, headline-advice. It gives suggestions on how to solve a problem, come to the right, desired result (Vychuzhanina V. How to Overcome Fear // Petrovsky Courier [Saint Petersburg]. 2015. May 27. № 18.p. 4).

Headline promising benefits. Just as headline-advice, it promises "benefits" to the reader, but with a tangible result (Martynenko K. Aging with Benefits // Evening Novosibirsk. 2015. № 17. p. 4).

Headline-specific offer. It shows ways of achieving a desired result and is characterized by emotional, strong-willed emphasis (Yudkevich M. Deputy Offered Not to Treat "F" free of Charge // Evening Kazan 2015. May 14. №  54. p. 1-3).

Headline containing a dream. It can contain someone's dream or indicate ways to achieve it ("My Dream is to Become a Hairdresser" // Yakutia 2015. May 20, № 51. p. 24).

Absurd headline. It states facts that go beyond the usual understanding of things (Kapralova N. Defendants Should Laugh // Tver Gazette. May 27 - June 2, 2015.№ 22.p. 1, 5).

Headline-contradiction. It emphasizes inconsistencies of occurring phenomena, events that are difficult to comprehend for the audience (Kolbasina M. "Cheap" Construction // Yakutia. 2015. May 14. №  51. p. 4).

Headline-provocation. It questions actions, someone's decisions (Yankova T. Do you Believe that Officials Honestly Filled out Their Declarations of Income? // Evening Kazan. 2015. May 13. № 53 53.p. 1).

Headline-sarcasm, headline-irony. These headlines have a very distinct sarcastic tone and include emphatic language, mockery. Words are often used in a figurative sense, marked by inverted commas (Kostenko I. Dare to Give Birth? // Tambov Meridian. 2007. August 7, p. 5).

Headline-advertising. The object of advertising can be either a product or service (Exhibition "Hello, Summer!" Invites Everyone // Petrovsky Courier [Saint Petersburg]. 2015. May 27. № 18.p. 4).

Polemic headline. Includes controversial elements, the confrontation of someone (Netreba T. Unions: Real Fight or its Facade? // Arguments and Facts 2007. № 16.p. 4).

Headline-denial. It doubts somebody's actions, decisions (Not a Sentence, but a Diagnosis // St. Petersburg Gazette. 2015. March 26. № 52. p. 2).

Headlines-dialoge phrase. Citation is an effective way to attract attention to the headline, especially when a well-known person is quoted (Ohanjanyan V. Sergei Sobyanin: "We Returned Moscow to its Citizens" // Evening Moscow 2015. September 3-10. №  34. p. 4).

Using proper names. It is used to draw attention to the headline, which is a particularly effective way when these are names of famous personalities (Gorbachev Repented his Anti-alcohol Campaign // Evening Kazan. 2015. May 16. № 55.p. 2).

Headline with numbers. The usage of numerals in the headline helps to attract more attention to it (Melnikova E. 34 000 Rubles for Lack of Smile // Tambov Meridian 2007. № 14. p. 6).

Headline-demand. Demands can be addressed to specific people or to nobody in particular. They are characterized by a high degree of expressivity (Give Me Complaints Book! // Evening Novosibirsk. 2015. May 22. № 18. p. 6).

Headline-warning. As a rule, the reader is warned of a potential danger, about a decision made by someone that can influence readers (Shkel T. Danger, Keep Out! // Russian Newspaper. November 14, 2002. p. 1).

Confronting someone, something. It states a problem the author or the character of the article disagree with. It includes ways of confrontation, ways of opposing the enemy (Native of Omsk Saved Up Slops For Three Days To Pour Them On Judge // Evening Kazan. 2015. May 16. №  55 p. 2).

Headline with ellipsis. Such headlines create expectation effect, forcing the reader to think, they create emotional tension; sometimes they show the author's abruptness (Kostikov V. He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not... // Arguments and Facts 2007. № 26.p. 8; Fedorova L. Free from...Children // Tambov Life. 2006. May 17. p. 5).

Language game in the headline complex:

–use of precedent forms in headlines is an effective way to attract reader's attention. By "precedent text" we mean "conscious or unconscious, accurate or modified quotes or other references to more or less known texts that had been previously written and now included into a newer text" [3]. Such precedent texts in the Russian language include: the names of literary and journalistic texts, various works of art; "catch phrases" and quotations from literary works or other well-known texts, movies, cartoons, songs, advertising; actual statements of historical personalities or words attributed to them. Examples of these can be found in the following headlines: (Averbukh V., Semenyuk N. Khabarovsk Against the "Lord of the Rings» // Russian Newspaper. 2002. February 13. p. 2; Kit N. Dead Souls // Tambov Meridian. 2003. April 29. p. 4; Pavlov K. Living and Dead // Amur Gazette [Khabarovsk region]. 2015. May 18-24. №№ 34-35. p. 3);

–change of a set expression. It is a popular method used in headlines. The author takes a well-known quotation, proverb or idiom, where a word or combination of words is replaced by the one that sounds similar but is related to the text. Thus, we get a phrase that combines the meaning of the text it entitles and its assessment, presented by the initial set expression, its stylistics (e.g., Balanyuk N. Alexander stop // St. Petersburg Gazette. 2015. № 82. p. 5; Dylevskii A. Walking on Water // Tver Gazette. 2015. July 1-7. № 27.p. 14; Frolov M. Three Sisters // St. Petersburg Gazette. 2015. May 12. № 82. p. 6).

–headline-pun. Language game in such headlines attracts attention while the cross heading keeps it informative (Bolataeva L. Christmas Tree by Mail and Santa Claus with Gun // Evening Barnaul [Altai region]. 2014. December 26. № 194. p. 32).

3. Types of headlines according to intended emotional impact on the audience.

Intriguing (Who Do Russians Trust // St. Petersburg Gazette. 2015. March 26. № 52.p. 1).

Scary, frightening headlines (Blednova E. On Road with Ax // Tambov Meridian. January 9, 2007. p. 3).

Stunning, sensational headlines (For Love Briton Lost 305 Kilograms // Evening Kazan. 2015. May 16.  № 55.p. 6).

Scandalous headlines (Rogozin O. "Sprinter" Removed from Race // St. Petersburg Gazette. 2015. May 14. № 84.p. 1-2).

Intimate headlines (Sex is Good for Health // Petrovsky Courier [Saint Petersburg]. 2015. May 20. № 17.p. 4).

4. Types of headlines by expressivity. Headlines can be completely neutral in their emotional background or they can show obvious expressiveness. Let us denote possible types of expressive headlines.

Headline-exclamation. Exclamations are used as an expression of delight, surprise or indignation at something, at the actions of someone (Balkabekova K. I Won't Let My Kids Go to the Circus! // Arguments and Facts. 2003. № 6. p. 14).

Praise to someone, something, headline-recognition/credit. The object of praise, no matter if it is a person or a thing is not mentioned directly (Malyshev D. Congrats on New Tram! // Tver Gazette. 2015. July 1-7. №  27. p. 3).

Headline-appeal, headline-motto. As a rule, the audience is encouraged to perform specific actions afterwards. The motto nature of such headlines is the heritage of the Soviet period (Abdulaev I. Don't Sell Expired Food! // As-Salam [Dagestan]. 2014 .January 1. № 1. p. 8).

Headline-question. The question is addressed to both the audience as a whole, which contributes to the creation of emotional pressure, or to its particular members (Zuzyaiev A. Did Belarus Announce Oil War to Russia? // Komsomolskaya Pravda. January 9, 2007. p. 2).

The use of slang. Slang is emphatic in its character and in headline combinations it can become particularly expressive (Blednova E. Stalls "Bombed" By Children // Tambov Meridian. February 13, 2007. p. 2).

It is obvious that in today's Russian newspapers there are many types of headline constructions. It enables a journalist to use well-chosen headlines that will draw attention to them and, consequently, to the publication itself.