Reporting Information and Evaluating Likelihood M Grazia

Reporting Information and Evaluating Likelihood © M. Grazia Busà 2013

Reviewing reported speech Sources’ information can be quoted directly or indirectly, or paraphrased ØDirect speech: what was said is reported in ‘’ ● ‘I do not believe this is true’, said Mr Hughes ØIndirect speech: the sources’ words are reported with no quotes, as a subordinate clause to the main clause ● Hughes did not believe that the fact was true ØParaphrase: the sources’ words can be reworded and summarised ● Hughes did not believe in the likelihood of the event ● Hughes was sceptical © M. Grazia Busà 2013

Direct speech Ø Assumption: source’s exact words are reported Ø Used to: ● Give objectivity to the quote ● Add vividness to the story, by making it more personal ● Enhance the story’s newsworthiness by making it more involving © M. Grazia Busà 2013

An example ● ‘I want the whole world to know about my country and my people, ’ the Guadalajara native said ● ‘I imagine that they’re all going crazy in Mexico right now, ’ she said through an interpreter. ‘I’m extremely proud and I’m sure they’re very proud, too. ’ (Oskar Garcia, Associated Press, August 24, 2010) © M. Grazia Busà 2013

Indirect speech Ø Assumption: reported words may be fairly close to the source’s, but not exactly the same ● Focus is on the substance of the source’s words Ø Allows control over the information ● Pieces of information can be combined, moved, omitted, emphasized Ø Indirect speech reported may not be easily distinguishable from the narration ● Used when information is controversial © M. Grazia Busà 2013

An example ● Konigsmark said he was in the home when suddenly, around 7: 45 p. m. , the whole house shook with what sounded like a bomb going off on the bottom floor. (http: //www. sfgate. com, November 17, 2008) © M. Grazia Busà 2013

Paraphrases Ø Used when the sources’ words are: ● not particularly dramatic, interesting or clear ● difficult for the readership to understand (for example in the case of government reports) ● grammatically incorrect ● too colloquial to look good in writing Example: Jenna Bush Hager confirms pregnancy (www. today. com, December 12, 2012) Compare: Jenna Bush Hager: ‘I'm pregnant!’ © M. Grazia Busà 2013

Other uses of direct speech Ø To give authoritativeness to a story ● As a form of validation of information ● Scientists have identified a new species of African monkey whose coloring ‘is unlike anything I’ve ever seen, ’ as one of the researchers put it. (http: //www. nytimes. com, September 13, 2012) Ø To emphasize that a word/phrase represents the source’s opinion, not the journalist’s ● Useful as a disowning device, to distance oneself from the information provided ● Perry says Corsicana man a ‘monster’ (www. chron. com, October 15, 2009) © M. Grazia Busà 2013

Use of modality in news stories Ø Linguistic expressions to indicate the degree to which a fact or event is considered possible, necessary or desirable ● Modal verbs (can, will, shall, may, must, could, would, should, might) ● Adverbs (likely, undoubtedly, probably, certainly, conceivably …) ● Phrases (it is certain that, it is possible that, it seems that …) can be used to convey a particular perspective on events © M. Grazia Busà 2013

Epistemic modality Ø Expresses the notions of ‘speculation’, ‘probability’ or ‘certainty’ Ø Indicates the degree to which speakers/writers are confident about the certainty of occurrence of a present, past or future event ● May/might ● Could ● Can ● Will (strong possibility the action will not or did not take place) (possible but highly unlikely) (possible but unlikely) (prediction: it is likely to happen) © M. Grazia Busà 2013

Deontic modality Ø Expresses the speaker’s/writer’s idea about which future events are necessary, possible, desirable, etc. ● Must ● Should ● Have to ● May expresses an order expresses a recommendation expresses necessity expresses permission © M. Grazia Busà 2013

Examples Ø Catholic church in France may become Mosque (http: //rt. com, October 12, 2012) Ø Nuclear operators must act now on safety: EU (http: //www. reuters. com, October 4, 2012) Ø Prisoners will not get the vote, says David Cameron (http: //www. bbc. co. uk, October 24, 2012) Ø 7 Foods You Should Never Eat (http: //www. foxnews. com, December 2, 2011) © M. Grazia Busà 2013

Using modality in news stories Ø How likely is it that the headline is true? © M. Grazia Busà 2013

The headline Mysterious woman flanking NK leader highly likely to be his wife (http: //english. yonhapnews. co. kr, July 15, 2012) What degree of probability does this modal expression convey that the woman is the NK leader’s wife? © M. Grazia Busà 2013

i. e. , the ‘mystery’ around this woman is the key to the interpreting the story The lead The mysterious woman who has repeatedly been seen closely flanking North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in a recent series of public appearances, is highly likely to be his wife, a South Korean government source said Sunday Modality expression indicates that the news is not certain, it is based on speculations © M. Grazia Busà 2013 Source is not precisely specified

Answer ØThe event is presented as speculative by means of: ● Modal verbs and modal expressions indicating speculation, possibility ● Lexical choices that convey speculation, uncertainty ● Vagueness about the sources of information © M. Grazia Busà 2013