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Journalese

Journalese is, according to a typical dictionary definition, a derogatory term for a superficial, cliché-ridden and sensationalist style of writing regarded as typical of newspapers.

In a self-reflective, self-critical mood, the journalist Joe Grimm argued that journalese is "neither clichés nor jargon: Journalese is the peculiar language that newspapers have evolved for talking to readers. We write journalese out of habit, sometimes from misguided training, and to sound urgent, authoritative and, well, journalistic. But it doesn't do any of that."

The typical characteristics of journalese are:

A special form of journalese is headlinese ("Mad Cow Talks in Washington", "Red Tape Holds Up New Bridge", "Mounting Problems for Young Couples", "Hospital Sued by Seven Foot Doctors" etc.).

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