Communicating News Title with Metaphor

Media has an important role in society today. Its significant role is related with information and various media functions in society. Media had its peak condition during the era of reformation. The publication of many media especially printed media gave great access for people to have many information. Printed media is being a reference for people to have an access for various information regarding politics, economics, social culture, until sports and even the advertisement slots.

Nowadays, the role of media has changed. There is a change of paradigm in society. People left the printed media and it is replaced by the internet. Although there is a change, printed media is still considered to be important for traditional readers. They enjoy various information in printed like newspapers or tabloids. One of the reasons for that is the news title.

News title is important part of a news or information. Reading the titles enable readers to draw early conclusion about news. News titles also enable readers to interpret the content of news based on their perceptions. For those reasons,  news titles are created or produced creatively that they can attract the readers’ attention. One of the ways in creating an interesting news title is applying metaphor expressions.

In simple, the metaphor is figure of speech. This figure of speech is mostly found in works of literature. However, today, the use of metaphor is wider. Metaphor is also applied in the titles of news. The purpose is to attract the attention of readers. Attracting attention is important for newspaper when in one publication they provide tens of news. Readers are usually attracted by the titles that are different as usual in their appearances.

As metaphor is figure of speech, the construction of it in news titles is also different. The metaphor in news titles creates different meanings. Sukarno (2017) classified construction of meaning metaphor into four types. The types are construction of meaning metaphor in action, meaning metaphor in quality, meaning metaphor in motion, and meaning metaphor in character. Each has its own role when it is used in the context of news titles.

The dominant metaphor constructions in local printed media are the constructions of meaning metaphor in action and meaning metaphor in character. Both constructions are slightly used in the news titles of various topics namely sports, health, tourism, and criminality. The examples of news titles of local printed newspaper applied the construction of meaning metaphor in action are Disparda Genjot Promosi Wisata ke Eropa Dongkrak Kunjungan ke Candi Tebing Tegallinggah; Mengurai Benang Kusut TPA Suwung; and Peringatan Hari Puputan Margarana ke-73 Bersama Perangi Kebodohan dan Kemiskinan. Expressions in the bold type genjot, mengurangi, and perangi are metaphorical expressions. In this context of news titles, the meanings have shifted from the real meanings. The expressions are classified as constructions of meaning metaphor in action for one reason. The reason is that there is following specific purpose after the action. For example, the expression of genjot has relation to an activity to operate a pedal of bicycle. It is for sure to make the bicycle moving.

The construction is different with construction of meaning metaphor in character. The news titles with meaning metaphor in character are Wanita Pengangguran Gelapkan Empat Mobil Sewaan and Wayan Winurjaya Ukir Sejarah. Both examples of news titles apply the expression of metaphor in gelapkan and ukir. The important point in construction of meaning metaphor in character is in matching the real condition and its context of news titles. The expressions gelapkan and ukir have their own characteristic in real condition. This characteristic is then applied in the context of news titles. For example, the expression ukir has the real meaning of carving or jewelry. However, the real meaning does not exist in the news title context Wayan Winurjaya Ukir Sejarah. It shows different meaning, but it still maintains the characteristic of the real meaning.

With its wider information of news in printed media, the creation of news titles turns as important point. News title is not only interesting, but it also creates an interest of reading the complete news. Creating interest means creating the motivation to read the news completely. It means the readers have clear and complete news or information rather than individual interpretation when reading the title.

References

Parthama, I Gusti Ngurah dan Ni Ketut Alit Ida Setianingsih. 2019. Tipologi Metafora Pada Judul Berita Media Cetak. Laporan akhir Penelitian Unggulan Program Studi (PUPS). Lembaga Penelitian dan Pengabdian kepada Masyarakat (LPPM) Universitas Udayana.

Sukarno. 2017. Makna dan Fungsi Ungkapan Metaforis Dalam Wacana Hukum Pada Surat Kabar Harian Jawa Pos dalam             Jurnal Pendidikan Bahasa dan Sastra, volume 17, nomor 1, April 2017, halaman 15 – 28.