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 o!e, this is often
intentional. The headlines which follow contain meanings definitely not intended by the writer. These
actually appeared in newspapers. "our ob is to figure out two things# $hat did the writer mean to say,
and how else could the headline be interpreted.
For example: Farmer Bill Dies in House
Actual meaning:
A proposed law has failed to survive the legislative process in the parliament (house).
Alternative interpretation: A farmer named Bill died.
1. POL!" #"$N !A%PA$N &O R'N (O)N JAY)AL*"R+
,. +AF"&Y "-P"R&+ +AY +!.OOL #'+ PA++"N$"R+ +.O'L( #" #"L&"(
/. (R'N* $"&+ NN" %ON&.+ N 0OLN !A+"
1. $RL .& #Y !AR N .O+P&AL
2. RA3 ."A( +""*+ AR%+
4. L'N$ !AN!"R N )O%"N %'+.ROO%+
5. &"A!."R +&R*"+ (L" *(+
6. R"A$AN )N+ ON #'($"&7 #'& %OR" L"+ A."A(
8. +3'A( ."LP+ (O$ #&" 0!&%
19. %N"R+ R"F'+" &O )OR* AF&"R ("A&.
11. J'0"NL" !O'R& &O &RY +.OO&N$ ("F"N(AN&
1,. +&OL"N PAN&N$ FO'N( #Y &R""
1/. &)O +O0"& +.P+ !OLL("7 ON" ("+
11. *LL"R +"N&"N!"( &O (" FOR +"!ON( &%" N 19 Y"AR+
12. (R'N*"N (R0"R+ PA( :1999 N ;61
Now write an ambiguous headline of your own and explain what is ambiguous about it.
+our<es=
http://www.alta.asn.au/events/altssw!""#proc/altss/courses/somers/headlines.htm
http://tlc.ousd.$%!.ca.us/&acod'/headlines.html
Ambiguous newspaper headlines > *e?s
1. POL!" #"$N !A%PA$N &O R'N (O)N JAY)AL*"R+
Actual meaning:
(he police )egin a campaign to find *a'wal$ers.
Alternative interpretation:
(he +olice )egin a campaign to hit *a'wal$ers with cars.
,ote: %&aywal!ing% is a crime in which a pedestrian crosses the street in the middle of a city bloc! rather
that wal!ing to the nearest corner first. &aywal!ers, obviously, are the people that commit this crime.
,. +AF"&Y "-P"R&+ +AY +!.OOL #'+ PA++"N$"R+ +.O'L( #" #"L&"(
Actual meaning:
-afet' experts sa' that )us passengers should use seat )elts (for safet').
Alternative interpretation:
-afet' experts sa' that )us passengers should )e hit with a )elt.
/. (R'N* $"&+ NN" %ON&.+ N 0OLN !A+"
Actual meaning:
(he drun$en person who was accused of stealing a violin has )een found guilt' and will )e
*ailed for nine months. (case . court case)
Alternative interpretation:
(he drun$en person will have to spend nine months in a violin case (container).
1. $RL .& #Y !AR N .O+P&AL
Actual meaning:
(he girl who was hit )' a car is now in hospital.
Alternative interpretation:
A girl has )een hit )' a car in the hospital.
2. RA3 ."A( +""*+ AR%+
Actual meaning:
An /ra0i official or the /ra0i head of state is see$ing weaponr'.
Alternative interpretation:
An /ra0i head (part of the )od') is see$ing arms (part of the )od').
4. L'N$ !AN!"R N )O%"N %'+.ROO%+
Actual meaning:
(he num)er of cases of lung cancer in women is growing rapidl'.
Alternative interpretation:
Female mushrooms have cancer1
5. &"A!."R +&R*"+ (L" *(+
Actual meaning:
2ids are idle )ecause their teachers are participating in the stri$es (protestations).

Alternative interpretation:
A teacher punishes $ids who are idle (la3')
6. R"A$AN )N+ ON #'($"&7 #'& %OR" L"+ A."A(
Actual meaning:
4ore lies ahead could mean: a lot (of events) are awaiting us in the future
Alternative interpretation:
/t could also mean: man' additional dishonesties(falsehoods) await us in the future
8. +3'A( ."LP+ (O$ #&" 0!&%
Actual meaning:
(he rescue s0uad helped a victim of dog )ite.

Alternative interpretation:
(he s0uad (gang) helped a dog to )ite someone.
19. %N"R+ R"F'+" &O )OR* AF&"R ("A&.
Actual meaning:
4iners refuse to wor$ an' further5 following the death of a miner (at the mining site).

Alternative interpretation:
4iners refuse to wor$ after (whose death6 their own6) death.
11. J'0"NL" !O'R& &O &RY +.OO&N$ ("F"N(AN&
Actual meaning:
A person who is )eing accused of shooting someone will appear in court. (court trial)

Alternative interpretation:
(he court will attempt at shooting ($illing) the person who is )eing accused.
1,. +&OL"N PAN&N$ FO'N( #Y &R""
Actual meaning:
A stolen painting has )een found near a tree.

Alternative interpretation:
A painting was stolen5 and therefore lost5 however5 a tree has found it.
1/. &)O +O0"& +.P+ !OLL("7 ON" ("+
Actual meaning:
(wo soviet ships have collided5 resulting in the death of one passenger.

Alternative interpretation:
(wo soviet ships collided and one of the ships died. (completel' destro'ed6)
11. *LL"R +"N&"N!"( &O (" FOR +"!ON( &%" N 19 Y"AR+
Actual meaning:
A $iller has )een punished with life sentence for the second time in %" 'ears.

Alternative interpretation:
A sentenced $iller will die for the second time in %" 'ears.
12. (R'N*"N (R0"R+ PA( :1999 N ;61
Actual meaning:
/n %7895 drun$en drivers had to pa' a fine of :%""".

Alternative interpretation:
;run$en drivers were paid :%""" in %789.
http://www.alta.asn.au/events/altssw!""#proc/altss/courses/somers/headlines.htm
Ambiguous headlines
No. of Lessons '
$rade (
nd
)imna*ia
&ea<hers +oca Fin! and Amresh ,ra!ash Torul
Ob@e<tiAesB
Learning Out<omes
At the end of this lesson, students will be able to understand and explain
ambiguous newspaper headlines.
Time
Teachers activities
Student activities
English teacher Foreign teacher
'- min ntrodu<tion=
.ntroduce the topic and
briefly discuss it with
students. $hat are
ambiguous headlines and
why are some headlines
ambiguous/
)o through the handout
with the students and
explain the literal meaning
of difficult words on the
board.
Follow introduction and
vocabulary explanation.
'- min
+ove around the class and
help students.
+ove around the class and
help students.
)ork on handout=
0ead and understand the '-
headlines and try to explain
their meanings. $rite down one
ambiguous headline with
explanation of the ambiguous
word1s2.
'- min "Cplanation of
ambiguous headlines=
Ta!e turns to explain every
other headline.
"Cplanation of
ambiguous headlines=
Ta!e turns to explain every
other headline.
3orrect handouts and ta!e
additional notes.
"Aaluation
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.