Comparing two Newspaper Articles

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Comparing two Newspaper Articles

The 'Mirror' report uses various techniques that are typical of tabloid newspapers for example tabloidese. There is no evidence of sophisticated vocabulary and the short sentences encourage a rapid reading pace. The language is exciting, and the use of the simile 'ripped apart like a cardboard box', helps the reader visualise the fragility of the cable car, and indicates the violence of the nature of the accident. The use of onomatopoeia also supports the reader's vision of the scene, for example, 'ripped' 'screamed' 'crashing' 'torn'. All of these onomatopoeic words are violent words, that when contrasted with the beauty and idyllic setting of the snow covered mountains, give the feeling that the serenity had been brutally spoiled. The mirror report dramatically describes the incident using figurative language. The use of figures in the text adds a certain formality to the article, which helps maintain the seriousness of the issue as tabloids are known for their highly compressed language, heavy use of puns, and hyperbole.

The use of emotive language provoke feelings of sympathy from the reader for example, 'The victims including a woman and a young child', 'bodies lying beneath sheets of metal, most of them torn apart'. The biased use of British eyewitness accounts (as the central accounts) as opposed to the opinions of others that were there, makes the article appear more personal to a British reader and gives a sense of involvement and representation, (as if the Britons that were there, represented the British population). The article is both informative and interesting, qualities that 'The Times' report lacks.
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The language used in 'The Times' article is less exciting (than the 'Mirror') and more formal. Extensive use of polysyllabic words support the sophistication and formality of the report. Figures are used ' twenty people fell three hundred feet', 'about one hundred meters', '40 people', '6000ft mountain', etc. The figures used within the text introduce a certain eloquence to the article, and reinforce the severity of the situation. The tone is very monotonous and detached and hyperbole is used to express how low the plane was flying, and that complaints about low flying planes, had been made prior ...

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