Ambiguous newspaper headlines
Headlines frequently try to be clever. For example, a sports story might say New York Jets Run Out
of Fuel. A headline must communicate a lot of information in a small space. The words need to be
chosen carefully. Some words or phrases can be read more than one way, and in a joke, this is often
intentional. The headlines which follow contain meanings definitely not intended by the writer. These
actually appeared in newspapers. Your job is to figure out two things: What did the writer mean to
say, and how else could the headline be interpreted.
For example: “Farmer Bill Dies in House”
Actual meaning:
A proposed law has failed to survive the legislative process in the parliament (house).
Alternative interpretation: A farmer named Bill died.
1. POLICE BEGIN CAMPAIGN TO RUN DOWN JAYWALKERS
2. SAFETY EXPERTS SAY SCHOOL BUS PASSENGERS SHOULD BE BELTED
3. DRUNK GETS NINE MONTHS IN VIOLIN CASE
4. GIRL HIT BY CAR IN HOSPITAL
5. IRAQI HEAD SEEKS ARMS
6. LUNG CANCER IN WOMEN MUSHROOMS
7. TEACHER STRIKES IDLE KIDS
8. REAGAN WINS ON BUDGET, BUT MORE LIES AHEAD
9. SQUAD HELPS DOG BITE VICTIM
10. MINERS REFUSE TO WORK AFTER DEATH
11. JUVENILE COURT TO TRY SHOOTING DEFENDANT
12. STOLEN PAINTING FOUND BY TREE
13. TWO SOVIET SHIPS COLLIDE, ONE DIES
14. KILLER SENTENCED TO DIE FOR SECOND TIME IN 10 YEARS
15. DRUNKEN DRIVERS PAID $1000 IN '84
Now write an ambiguous headline of your own and explain what is ambiguous about it.
Sources:
http://www.alta.asn.au/events/altss_w2003_proc/altss/courses/somers/headlines.htm
http://tlc.ousd.k12.ca.us/~acody/headlines.html
Ambiguous newspaper headlines - Keys
1. POLICE BEGIN CAMPAIGN TO RUN DOWN JAYWALKERS
Actual meaning:
The police begin a campaign to find jaywalkers.
Alternative interpretation:
The Police begin a campaign to hit jaywalkers with cars.
Note: "Jaywalking" is a crime in which a pedestrian crosses the street in the middle of a city block rather
that walking to the nearest corner first. Jaywalkers, obviously, are the people that commit this crime.
2. SAFETY EXPERTS SAY SCHOOL BUS PASSENGERS SHOULD BE BELTED
Actual meaning:
Safety experts say that bus passengers should use seat belts (for safety).
Alternative interpretation:
Safety experts say that bus passengers should be hit with a belt.
3. DRUNK GETS NINE MONTHS IN VIOLIN CASE
Actual meaning:
The drunken person who was accused of stealing a violin has been found guilty and will be
jailed for nine months. (case = court case)
Alternative interpretation:
The drunken person will have to spend nine months in a violin case (container).
4. GIRL HIT BY CAR IN HOSPITAL
Actual meaning:
The girl who was hit by a car is now in hospital.
Alternative interpretation:
A girl has been hit by a car in the hospital.
5. IRAQI HEAD SEEKS ARMS
Actual meaning:
An Iraqi official or the Iraqi head of state is seeking weaponry.
Alternative interpretation:
An Iraqi head (part of the body) is seeking arms (part of the body).
6. LUNG CANCER IN WOMEN MUSHROOMS
Actual meaning:
The number of cases of lung cancer in women is growing rapidly.
Alternative interpretation:
Female mushrooms have cancer!
7. TEACHER STRIKES IDLE KIDS
Actual meaning:
Kids are idle because their teachers are participating in the strikes (protestations).
Alternative interpretation:
A teacher punishes kids who are idle (lazy)
8. REAGAN WINS ON BUDGET, BUT MORE LIES AHEAD
Actual meaning:
More lies ahead could mean: “a lot (of events) are awaiting us in the future”
Alternative interpretation:
It could also mean: “many additional dishonesties(falsehoods) await us in the future”
9. SQUAD HELPS DOG BITE VICTIM
Actual meaning:
The rescue squad helped a victim of dog bite.
Alternative interpretation:
The squad (gang) helped a dog to bite someone.
10. MINERS REFUSE TO WORK AFTER DEATH
Actual meaning:
Miners refuse to work any further, following the death of a miner (at the mining site).
Alternative interpretation:
Miners refuse to work after (whose death? their own?) death.
11. JUVENILE COURT TO TRY SHOOTING DEFENDANT
Actual meaning:
A person who is being accused of shooting someone will appear in court. (court trial)
Alternative interpretation:
The court will attempt at shooting (killing) the person who is being accused.
12. STOLEN PAINTING FOUND BY TREE
Actual meaning:
A stolen painting has been found near a tree.
Alternative interpretation:
A painting was stolen, and therefore lost, however, a tree has found it.
13. TWO SOVIET SHIPS COLLIDE, ONE DIES
Actual meaning:
Two soviet ships have collided, resulting in the death of one passenger.
Alternative interpretation:
Two soviet ships collided and one of the ships died. (completely destroyed?)
14. KILLER SENTENCED TO DIE FOR SECOND TIME IN 10 YEARS
Actual meaning:
A killer has been punished with life sentence for the second time in 10 years.
Alternative interpretation:
A sentenced killer will die for the second time in 10 years.
15. DRUNKEN DRIVERS PAID $1000 IN '84
Actual meaning:
In 1984, drunken drivers had to pay a fine of $1000.
Alternative interpretation:
Drunken drivers were paid $1000 in 1984.
http://www.alta.asn.au/events/altss_w2003_proc/altss/courses/somers/headlines.htm
Ambiguous headlines
No. of Lessons
Grade
Teachers
Objectives/
Learning Outcomes
Time
15 min
1
2nd Gimnazija
Mojca Fink and Amresh Prakash Torul
At the end of this lesson, students will be able to understand and explain
ambiguous newspaper headlines.
Teachers activities
English teacher
Foreign teacher
Introduction:
Introduce the topic and
briefly discuss it with
students. What are
ambiguous headlines and
why are some headlines
ambiguous?
Go through the handout
with the students and
explain the literal meaning
of difficult words on the
board.
Move around the class and
help students.
Move around the class and
help students.
Explanation of
ambiguous headlines:
Take turns to explain every
other headline.
Explanation of
ambiguous headlines:
Take turns to explain every
other headline.
15 min
15 min
Student activities
Follow introduction and
vocabulary explanation.
Work on handout:
Read and understand the 15
headlines and try to explain
their meanings. Write down one
ambiguous headline with
explanation of the ambiguous
word(s).
Correct handouts and take
additional notes.
Evaluation
The students had a lot of fun with the double meanings of the headlines as some of them were truly
humorous. Some headlines were quite hard for the students to understand. The vocabulary had to be
explained and it helped to some extent. This lesson also highlighted the style of language used in
newspaper headlines.