Foregrounding of Linguistic Signs in News Language
Yongchun Yang*Xianjing Xu**Shanghai University of Science and Technology
Abstract：This article mainly deals with the foregrounding of linguistic signs in news languages. The
signifiers are the forms, while the signifieds are the meanings. How can we make the signifiers more attractive and more conspicuous is the main concern of this article. It begins from the phonological foregrounding to lexical, syntactic foregrounding of linguistic signs in news language.
The points in the thesis are clearly illustrated by some vivid news titles and news reports.
Key words: foregrounding signifier signified news report
I. Introduction
This thesis mainly talks about the motivated prominence of linguistic signs in news language, from the angles of miotics, linguistics, and news writing.
The analysis mainly centers upon the property of the thing, which can be measured by size, weight, nu
mber, order, etc. Therefore, this part is mostly involved in the nature of the news languages. Some analys are associated with (a) original choice of theme; (b) the fresh style by means of genuine diction; (c) the resourceful outlay by means of color, voice and orthographic. Since the readers are nsitive to the relative frequency of different grammatical and lexical patterns, their attention is caught and reading speed is slowed down, which will by all means lead them to explore the curious meaning of the news writing and get access to the newspaper and magazine.
In this thesis, the linguistic signs are foregrounded in the way that the signifier and the signified are expresd in rhetorical manners. The communications between the signifier and the signified are centering upon the roundabout, indirect expressions, which may ar ou readers’ great interest. The style of the news item writing is special and familiar, even unique to the reader. So, let us take some quantity of rhetorical news items as material to illustrate this point of view.
The interpretation of foregrounding in news language will be carried out at different levels, as parts of the linguistic symbols. The relationship between the signifier and the signified will go through the analysis of phonological, lexical, and syntactic foregrounding.
II. Phonological Foregrounding
Phonology identifies the t of speech sounds for each language how they are arranged to form meaningful units, and the function of each sound. It reveals the possible combinations of sounds in a language and explains why certain words take the form they do.
*Yongchun Yang, MA, lecturer of Shanghai University of Science and Technology; Rearch field: applied linguistics; Address: No. 436, Shanghai University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, P. R. China; Postcode: 200093; Tel: ************;E-mail: ***********************
**Xianjing Xu, MA, lecturer of Shanghai University of Science and Technology; Rearch field: applied linguistics; Address: No. 436,ShanghaiUniversityofScienceandTechnology,Shanghai,P.R.China;Postcode:200093;Tel*************,137****7715; E-mail:*******************
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Sound is the direct physical form of linguistic signs, which contain one or more same or similar consonants or vowels. The signified (meaning) becomes condary, while the delicately chon signifiers are primary in importance. The usual forms of the phonological foregrounding include three kinds: alliteration, assonance, and consonance.
2.1 Alliteration
According to Webster New International Dictionary 3rd Edition, the definition of alliteration is the repetition usually, initially of a sound that is usually a consonant in two or more neighboring words or syllables, as wild and woolly, threatening and throng. It contains the recurrence of a particular phoneme. The linguistic signs will attach extra meaning to the original, literal symbols, to show the strong emotions of the news writers.
Under the principle of the truth, news writing must have the attractiveness. The reader’s life tempo is very quick. To catch their quick glance, alliteration is the very tool to achieve this purpo. It is a vogue to u alliteration in news titles. Let us look at the following examples:
P ei’s P yramids P uzzle P aris ---Times贝氏的金字塔使巴黎迷惑不解.
A First Lady of P riorities and P roprieties ---Times第一夫人---贵为上宾，举止得体.
S tarlight on S kyline, G alaxy of G lamour --- National Geographic高楼摩天，星光灿烂；火树银花，瑰丽绝伦.
2.2 Assonance
Assonance is partial alliteration. “In the Romance languages, the ea r prefers the correspondence of vowels while in the Teutonic languages the preference is given to consonance” (Encyclopedia of Britannica 1964 edition).
China and Britain concur on at least one point; the 13-year transition to Chine rule can make or break
Hong Kong --- Daily Telegraph 1984左右香港的命运。
Covering ven heads of state and government, in competition with 2,300 other reporters, photographers,
broadcast technicians and producers, require special ability and agility as well ---Time需要特殊的能力和相应的体力
While the morality of our mission was clear, the legality was not. --- Reader’s Digest Feb. 1991尽管我们任务的道义性是清楚的，其合法性是模糊的。
2.3 Consonance
Consonance refers to the repetition of the last consonant. It means that correspondence or recurrence of sounds esp. in words; specifically, recurrence or repetition of consonants esp. at the end of stresd syllables without the similar correspondence of vow els (as in the final sounds of “stroke” and “luck”) (Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary Multimedia Edition).
Esx… was thinking that it was a real stroke of luck to have Macgregor with him, a man whom the 20
Russians already respected --- The Diplomat ch.3艾塞克斯暗想，能同…结交…真可以算是交了好运。
Their only resource is a small Henry Moore sculpture, the title is “Object of Beauty”and it is their prime
subject of debate as they whine and dine. She owes it. He needs it. --- Time April 22, 1991他俩一边吃饭，抱怨，一边为它争辩不休…
III. Lexical Foregrounding
Lexicology is the linguistic branch that studies the word formation and the systematic description of t
he English vocabulary. It discuss the problems of word-structure and word formation in English, including the formation of new words, whi ch appears since the Second World War, especially since the 1960’s. It also studies
the u of English words, phras and idioms (An Introduction to English Lexicology，林承璋, 1987: 6).
The lexical foregrounding attaches importance to mantic effect. Words, the basic elements in the system of linguistic symbols, play decisive parts in the news languages. It is bad on the positive interaction of the signifier and the signified. The analysis will run through some rhetoric devices: witticism, allegory, mosaic, recycling, end weight, antonomasia.
3.1 Witticism
Witticism is witty remarks in news language, and the literary effect is that it can draw the reader’s immediate attention with the strong contrast it brings. It consists of two parts: the first part is a puzzle, which is mysterious. The cond part is the answer to the puzzle, which is obvious in meaning, so this contrast creates the visual effect. See the following examples:
他是“张飞卖秤砣”---人硬货也硬--- 《襄阳报》1985年10月9日
3.2Allegory
Allegory is a special rhetoric that means: 1) the expression by means of symbolic fictional figures and actions of truths or generalizations about human existence; also: an instance (as in a story or painting) of such expression; 2) a symbolic reprentation of its characteristics is inclusion of the original meanings in the allusions into the news item, making the inclusion fresh, obtrusive effect. (Merriam-Webster Dictionary Multimedia Edition) It is just for humor and association, it requires the readers a large command of the allusions in a given culture. The foregrounding effect lies in the fresh obtrusion of the allusion, so the signified is foregrounded by the signifier. The following examples give us strong support:
（肩）管理混乱，贻误战机
（主）赤土造纸厂原料场昨晨火烧连营
（副）两千吨芦苇化为灰烬，现场留一男尸。----《天津日报》1988年3月27日
3.3 Mosaic
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It refers to the fact that using the “name” beforehand or the “particular name” in author’s mind to inlay the news items, achieving the special effect. It gains double purpos: one is the particular name itlf; the other is the figurative meaning.
老挝不老，万象更新---《中国青年报》1993年12月19日
3.4Recycling
Recycling means to put the word order up side down, showing the relative recycling between the words. The usual pattern is a-a-b-b, a-b-a-b, or b-a-b-a. Ancient Greek philosopher Pitacaras had ever said: “In all cubical figures, ball is the most beautiful one, in all plane figures, cycle is the most beautiful.”
“马歇尔歇马，华来士来华” is the typical example of the recycling.
3.5End weight
At the end of the ntence or paragraph, using one or two condend words to show the main theme, to make the readers thought- provoking and unforgettable, this is called end weight.
Vietnam hangs in the collective subconsciousness like a bad dream, a psychic wound that leaves the patient forever neurotic—never again ---Evan Thomas, Newsweek
越南战争在集体意识中挥之不去，犹如一场噩梦，一种让病人永远心有余悸的精神创伤---再也不能重复了
“Plush offices are out,” insists Dallas broker Wayne Swearingen, “It’s not in vogue to show how rich you are.” Or were ---Time March 4, 1991
不论是炫今日之富，还是耀昨天之阔，都是不时髦的了。
3.6 Antonomasia
Antonomasia is the fact that a proper noun is houhold to everyone. It gains a symbolic and associative n, replacing other linguistic sign involved in fixed association with the real signified symbol or symbols.
The u of a proper name to designate a member of a class (as a Solomon for a wi ruler); also the u of an epithet or title in place of a proper name (as the Bard for Shakespeare). (Merriam- Webster Collegiate Dictionary Multimedia Edition)
And Fontyne became the favorite mu of British choreographer Frederick S. Ashton who created “Apparition” --- Newsweek March 4, 1991
Both sides are looking for a virgin birth, a deal with no obvious father --- US News and World Report
IV. Syntactic Foregrounding
Syntactic foregrounding highlights the targeted contents by clearly gmented layers for the effects of contrast or comparison. Syntax identifies the permissible quences in a language and the relationships between elements in ntence structure. It either repeats the same word order or repeats the same or similar ntence structures. It will run through two interesting devices: pun and antithesis.
4.1 Pun
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Pun is the humorous u of different words, which sound same, or of two meanings of the same word, the usually humorous u of a word in such a way as to suggest two or more of its meanings or the meaning of another word similar in sound (Merriam-Webster Dictionary Multimedia Edition).
<, a cannon ball took off his legs, so he laid down his arms.
In addition, it means the wi u of homonym and homophone.
The rhetorician Joel Sherzer defines it as this: pun is form of speech play in which a word or phra unexpectedly and simultaneously combines two unrelated meanings. According to Professor A, A, Hill, pun must have three elements, i.e. double contexts, hinge (i.e. homonym and homophone) and trigger (the esntial element in pun).
The typical example is the famous saying by Benjamin Franklin:
We must all hang together, or we shall all hang parately. 我们必须团结在一起，否则我们将一个个被绞死。
Classified Ad: “Local carpenter eks local dentist for trade of skills, I’ll build your bridge, you build my bridge” --- Reader’s Digest.
Eiffel Eyeful---one would think the Milky Way had descended to earth ---Time
4.2Antithesis
Antithesis is the coordination of the contrastive words, which strongly show the sharp difference between them. The rhetorical contrast of ideas is shown by means of parallel arrangements of words, claus, or ntences (as in “action, not words” or “they promis ed freedom and provided slavery”) (Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary Multimedia Edition).
As a spot on the weather map, Rochester is one chilly town. However, as a model for educational reform, it is shaping as the hottest place in America---by Reporter Jerry Buckley.
(to be continued to Page 44)
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