THE PRAGMATIC FUNCTIONS OF DEICTIC EXPRESSIONS IN NEWS HEADLINES: A CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Keywords:
Deixis, Media discourse, News headlines, Pragmatics functions, IdeologyAbstract
In linguistics, deictic expressions are also known as indexical. These linguistic elements depend on the context of the utterance. In media discourse, particularly in news headlines, deixis plays a significant role in framing events, positioning readers, and constructing opinions. This research examines how different types of deixis, such as person, time, place, social, and discourse deixis, are pragmatically engaged in English-language news headlines. The study draws on theoretical frameworks from Levinson (1983) and Fillmore (1997) to investigate the strategic use of deictic expressions across selected five national and international newspapers. This paper opted for a qualitative approach. It is explored that deixis not only converts complex events into digestible information but also guides the audience's perception, emotional engagement, and interpretation. This paper argues that the pragmatic use of deixis in headlines is crucial for effective communication, manipulative framing, and the construction of social realities. By viewing the linguistic tactics of news media, this study contributes to broader discussions on language, power, and ideology in media discourse.
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