Principles of Journalistic Language and Genre Classification

Journalistic Language and Subgenres

Defining Characteristics of Journalistic Language

Journalistic language adheres to several key characteristics:

• Conciseness

  The volume of text in major news stories requires conciseness, which is an indispensable trait for transmitting as much information as possible within a fixed time or space.

• Special Content Disposition

  The subordination to a determined space, time, or the desire to capture the reader's or listener's interest necessitates a special content disposition for journalistic news articles. Data shows greater interest in secondary aspects following the main news (known as the inverted pyramid structure).

• Tendency Toward Cliché

  The inherent urgency required to write journalistic texts, along with the search for conciseness, encourages the creation of a language tendency toward cliché, including the use of trite metaphors and topics. This constitutes a marked defect according to all style manuals.

• Simple Syntax and Logical Order

  The employment of short and simple sentences and vocabulary facilitates the understanding of journalistic texts. The various elements of the sentence must be arranged following the logical order: subject, verb, object.

• Objectivity

  All information should be treated as objectively as possible. The presence of preposed adjectives or value judgments is an unequivocal symptom of subjectivism in the treatment of such information, as is the presence of pronouns or verb forms in the first person. Many authors claim pure objectivity does not exist, nor can it ever be achieved in the journalistic media.

Journalistic Subgenres

There are six basic journalistic subgenres. Four of them are denominated information genres, and two are denominated opinion genres.

• Information Genres (4)

  News, reports, interview, and the interview.

• Opinion Genres (2)

  The column and the editorial.

The News Article

The news is an article reporting a recently occurred fact of interest. It constitutes the primary focus of news reporting and the journalistic genre. Two basic characteristics distinguish the news from other journalistic genres also aimed at informing: brevity and objectivity.

The purpose of the news report is simply to relate an event without adding analysis or comment of any type. Thus, brevity and conciseness are essential when writing a story. The wording of the news must be accurately adjusted to the events. The author should limit the reporting objectively, without letting his opinion or his attitude influence what he narrates.

It is necessary to avoid using adjectives that denote subjectivity, especially preposed ones, and personal pronouns or verbs in the first person. Sentences must be clear, simple, and brief.