The Word Weavers: Newshounds and WordsmithsCambridge University Press, 2007 M05 31 - 257 pages Modern journalism is often the subject of criticism and opposition. Written by one of the foremost authorities on language and the media writing today, this engaging book suggests that view is unfair, and that journalists are in fact skilled 'word weavers' whose output is cleverly worked into planned patterns. Drawing on a range of authentic news articles, it traces the development of journalism from its origins to the present day. Aitchison shows how contemporary news writers have inherited an age-old oral tradition, which over the centuries was incorporated into public notices, ballads and storybooks - eventually providing the basis of the journalism we see today. She argues that, while journalists have very different aims to literary writers, their work can in no way be regarded as inferior. Entertainingly written, The World Weavers provides a fascinating insight into journalistic writing, and will be enjoyed by anybody wanting to know more about media language. |
Contents
Weaving and worrying Journalism versus literature? | 1 |
Singers of tales Oral narrative | 12 |
The tongue of the hand Speech and writing | 32 |
Hangings histories marvels mysteries The birth of journalism | 50 |
Calendars of roguery and woe Daily newspapers | 72 |
Storytelling Narrating the news | 96 |
Glimmering words Boiling down and polishing | 119 |
Painting with words Imaginative creativity | 145 |
Two ideas for one Exploring metaphor | 165 |
The role of journalism Evaluating the views | 187 |
Epilogue | 213 |
Notes | 215 |
234 | |
251 | |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
A. P. Herbert advertisements Andrew Marr ballads bards body British broadsheets Cambridge University Press century chapbooks chapter child crash Crystal and Crystal culture Daily Mail dead death deceased described dictionary disaster early edited English epic example expressed Faber formula gossip Greek hand Hardy headlines Homeric human Iliad Indo-European invention JEAN AITCHISON Johnson journalism journalists kind permission Lakoff language layers lines linguistics literary literature London Lord meaning metaphors modern morning mourning cloaks mourning coach MURDER CHARGE newsbooks newshounds newspapers newsworthy noun novel numerous Odyssey Ogden Nash onomatopoeia Oxford University Press paper patterns Penguin phrases poem poetic poetry poets pointed police printed quoted R. S. Thomas Raymond readers rhyme Robin Roger McGough Schmandt-Besserat Seamus Heaney September 11th sometimes sounds speech spelling spoken story Sunday T. S. Eliot tabloids terrorist typically verse WHITECHAPEL Wilkes woman word weavers writing written
References to this book
The Articulate Mammal: An Introduction to Psycholinguistics Jean Aitchison No preview available - 2007 |