Stylistic Features in English News Headlines: A Corpus-based Analysis

Abstract

This study explores the stylistic features of English news headlines through a corpus-based analysis. English news headlines play a critical role in the media, acting as the initial point of interaction between readers and articles. Their concise, attention-grabbing nature is essential in communicating the essence of a news story effectively. By examining a large corpus of headlines across various genres of news, the research identifies recurrent linguistic patterns, rhetorical devices, and structural features that shape these headlines. A combination of quantitative and qualitative analysis is used to uncover both high-frequency lexical items and the stylistic tools such as metaphors, exaggeration, and ellipses that help engage readers. The study highlights how stylistic features contribute to the balance between informativeness and appeal, emotional expression, and the concise extraction of key information. It demonstrates the advantages of using corpus-based methods in studying language use in headlines, offering a more comprehensive and data-driven perspective compared to traditional approaches. The findings underscore the significant role of stylistic choices in enhancing the effectiveness and impact of news headlines.