The language used in several recent news stories

“…the pragma-linguistic perspective seems to be missing from the methodological scope of media studies scholarship into such trends in news media as sensationalism. Media studies is often oriented towards a cultural critique of the results of corporate influence, technological advancements and political pressures on media industry”. (Kozakowska, 2013)

“…language provides speakers with choice, which is the basis of it being a bearer of ideology (Hasan, 1996a).

“…linguistic choices in news discourse have consequences for the ways news consumers come to view a certain set of historical conditions”. (Lukin, 2012)

“We use language not only to shape reality, but to defend that reality against anyone whose alternative values might threaten ours”(Hasan, 1996b: 34)

“In the media, information is not a passive resource waiting to be searched for and accessed. It is always in competition for people’s attention with other information’”(Durant and Lambrou, 2009: 28).

“Issues that involve conflict or negativity and concern elite persons and powerful organizations or countries are more likely to be covered. News that attracts the most interest should be unexpected, and yet ‘temporally bounded (…), unambiguous and clear-cut rather than cloudy and complex’ ”(Montgomery, 2007: 9).

“News outlets, which compete for audience attention to secure their profits from advertising, try to make their information appear relevant, urgent or unusual…” (Kozakowska, 2013)

“Categorising ‘others’ implies building up conceptual oppositions and polarities, embodied by pairs of terms that define one’s group in contrast with another and that project people’s prejudices and values”. (Tenorio,2010)

“A critical approach is particularly important if the hidden elements work to control people’s minds or perpetuate social inequalities” (Van Dijk, 1993).

“…trying to become good in your audience’s eyes by speaking ill of your ‘antagonists’ may show your own evil nature too”. (Tenorio, 2010)

“…criticism is not to be thought of as outright condemnation or rejection, but rather as an attempt at interrogating the categories and mechanisms that usually escape notice without deeper analytic insight and reflection”. (Kozakowska, 2013)

Narrative (Political correctness)- Why is it that our very politically correct American culture detests derogatory and dehumanizing words but so liberally uses the term “retard”? Have you ever noticed that? (Webpronews.com)

Classification (Who gets to speak?)Coke: - “We are certainly very apologetic for this oversight.”- “We didn’t mean to offend at all.”

Loates family: - “We immediately thought ‘You have got to be kidding me’- “My dad had taught our family what an awful word the ‘r-word’ is. So he was really upset about this.”- “You see, the “R” word is considered a swear word in our family. We don’t use it. We don’t tolerate others using it around us. We ARE over-sensitive but you would be too if you had Fiona for a daughter!”- “Coke told us they reviewed the words before the contest, so we’re still a bit confused about why, after sitting down and looking at the word list, they would decide to keep it. Its English meaning is offensive and they should have realized that,”- The lengthy letter of complaint the Loates has written to coke was included.

Coke: - “We are certainly very apologetic for this oversight.”- “We didn’t mean to offend at all.”(Webpronews.com)

Headlines- Edmonton woman receives apology from Coca-Cola for offensive wording on bottle lid (Global News) - Coca-Cola Apologizes for Offensive Bottle Cap (ABC)- Coca-Cola 'YOU RETARD' Bottle Cap Forces Company To Apologize To Edmonton Family (Huffington Post) - Coca-Cola Prints “YOU RETARD” Under Bottlecap (Webpronews.com)

Metonym- On Wednesday, Coca-Cola contacted the family and explained that the bottle cap was part of a contest. Apparently, Vitamin Water is randomly printing out one English word and one French word on the bottom of their caps. (Webpronews.com)- Coca-Cola says it has cancelled the promotion and will destroy all of the caps with words printed on them. (Global News)

Narrative (Inverted triangle)1.A 3-year-old boy who was among 13 people wounded in a late-night attack on a southwest Chicago park was alert …. 2. The child's uncle,…told the Chicago Sun-Times that dreadlocked men in a gray sedan shot at him Thursday night...3.Police officials declined to discuss details of the investigation. 4.Chicago's police superintendent has said that overall violence is down so far this year compared to 2012,… 5.Corey Brooks, a pastor at New Beginnings Church, spoke with family members …said the boy was resting with his mother. (Fox News)

Headlines - Toddler among 13 wounded in Chicago gang shooting (AFP)- Toddler among 13 shot in Chicago park (New York Post)- 13 wounded, including 3-year-old boy, in shooting at Chicago park (Fox News)- Chicago park shooting leaves boy and others wounded (BBC)

Nominalization - Chicago park shooting leaves boy and others wounded (AFP) - The bloodshed Thursday night apparently came in a drive-by shooting targeting people playing basketball, the Chicago Tribune reported. (AFP)

Metonym - The bloodshed Thursday night apparently came in a drive-by shooting targeting people playing basketball, the Chicago Tribune reported. (AFP)- In 2012, the Windy City saw 506 murders, compared with 419 in New York, according to a report this week by the FBI. (BBC)

Passive Voice/Agency - Twelve people are injured after being shot at a park on Chicago's southwest side, including a 3-year-old boy who is in critical condition. (Fox News)- Many of the victims -- most in their teens, 20s and 30s -- were shot in the arms, legs or feet. (AFP News)- Police spokesman Ron Gaines said no arrests had been made so far.(BBC)- One Chicago murder this …was that of Hadiya Pendleton, 15. She was killed at a park just days after performing at a January presidential inauguration .... (BBC)- Authorities said no one had been taken into custody in connection with the shooting. (The Guardian)

Lexical Mapping Assailants:violent, bloodshed, murder, ravaging, Senseless, brazen, betray, retaliation Authorities:crackdown, brave, (bring to ) justice

Register Al Shabaab, which has links to al Qaeda and is battling Kenyan and other African peacekeepers in Somalia, had repeatedly threatened attacks on Kenyan soil if Nairobi did not pull its troops out of the Horn of Africa country. (Reuters)

Classification (Who gets to speak?) The al-Qaida linked Somali Islamist militant group al-Shabaab has not formally claimed responsibility for the attack, but used it's official Twitter …to describe the killings as "a very tiny fraction of what Muslims in Somalia experience at the hands of Kenyan invaders".

The group also accused the Kenyan government of continuing to "massacre innocent Muslims in Somalia", a reference to Kenyan troops being sent into Somalia in 2011 in order to fight al-Shabaab. (The Guardian)

Headlines - Gunmen Kill Dozens in Terror Attack at Kenyan Mall (New York Times)- Islamists claim gun attack on Nairobi mall, at least 39 dead (Reuters)

Lexical Mapping Assailants:terrorism, executing, unspeakable evil, heartbreaking, revenge, cowards, mayhem, carnage, harsh, brutal, behead civilians, bury teenage girls and stone them to death

Victims:terrified, soaking in their own blood(New York Times)

Metonym- France said two of its citizens were dead, the U.S. State Department said it had reports that American citizens had been injured, and Britain said its nationals had undoubtedly been affected. (Reuters)

Narrative (Inverted triangle)1. It seems Miley Cyrus’s “Wrecking Ball” music … not only caused parents to roll their eyes, but became a potential safety hazard for college students.2. On Tuesday, administrators at the Grand Valley State University in Michigan removed a wrecking ball sculpture ....3.According to an online statement issued by the university, students recently began climbing on the pendulum art piece, causing its cable to fray.4. The sculpture – which hangs from a 15-foot steel cable – was installed in the Kirkhof Center in 1974, where it hung for six years…. (Fox News)

Register - Miley Cyrus's "Wrecking Ball" video…has sparked controversy in Western Michigan, but it's not because the culture police are after her, nor is it due to demolition workers feeling that their trade is being inaccurately portrayed. (Complex.com)- Miley Cyrus’s risqué twerking, tongue flashing and foam finger dancing called into question what kind of role model she is for the tweens who loved her as “Hannah Montana,” ... (ABC)

Register (Cont.)- The Twitter hashtags to come out of all this? (LA Times)- I think your #YOLO joke goes *here*. (Philly.com)- What kind of antics, you ask? Well, like this naked male student swinging on the ball (obviously NSFW, folks) (Breakingnews.ie)- Her weapon of mass twerkstruction was a wrecking ball (E!online.com)

Headlines- Students Protest Right To Re-enact Miley's "Wrecking Ball" Video After College Removes Pendulum Statue (Complex.com)- Michigan University Removes Sculpture After Naked Students Imitate Miley Cyrus (ABC)- University removes sculpture as naked students re-enact 'Wrecking Ball' (Breakingnews.ie)- School Removes Wrecking Ball After Students Imitate Miley (Time) - Mich. sculpture gone after naked students mimic Miley Cyrus’ ‘Wrecking Ball’ video (NY Dailynews) - University removes ‘wrecking ball’ sculpture over naked Miley Cyrus video tributes (Metro.co.uk)

Headlines (Cont.) - GVSU 'Wrecking Ball' Miley Cyrus Parodies Halted After Sculpture Removed (Huffington Post)- Miley Cyrus' Naked Ball-Riding Sparks Stunts And Student Uprising (MTV)- Miley Cyrus video prompts removal of sculpture at Michigan college (LA Times) - Grand Valley State University forced to remove campus wrecking ball sculpture due to Miley Cyrus parodies (Fox News) - Miley Cyrus’s ‘Wrecking Ball’ Video Ruins University Statue After Kids Start Riding It Nude (Vulture.com) - Grand Valley State University has to remove wrecking ball statue because of Miley Cyrus (Philly.com)

Metaphor - Just think of all the poor teddy bears who have been exploited in the name of her (Philly.com)

Transtivity- Miley Cyrus video prompts removal of sculpture at Michigan college (LA Times)

Metonym - University removes ‘wrecking ball’ sculpture over naked Miley Cyrus video tributes (Metro.co.uk)- Michigan University Removes Sculpture After Naked Students Imitate Miley Cyrus (ABC)- Miley Cyrus’s ‘Wrecking Ball’ Video Ruins University Statue After Kids Start Riding It Nude (Vulture.com)

Removing agency- Grand Valley State University forced to remove campus wrecking ball sculpture due to Miley Cyrus parodies (Fox News)- An American university has been forced to remove a campus sculpture of a ‘wrecking ball’ for safety reasons…(Metro.co.uk)

Lexical MappingStudents:thrill-seeking, protest, complain, morons, nude, illicit, pranks, give chuckles, parodies, simply “college students being college students.", cheeky

Miley Cyrus: Hammer-licking, nude, forced your young children to watch her use "a foam finger like a dildo and lick the butt of a stuff bear", infamous, racy Facilities Service:Take action, worried, safety,