Introduction
Yogyakarta, 23 July 2018
Dear students,
Definition
A news item text is a text which is grouped into the text genre of narration. The main function of narration is telling stories or informing about events in chronological order. The order in the narration can be based of time, place and the events themselves.
Purpose
News Item Text is used to inform readers about events of the day which are considered newsworthy or important.
Generic Structure
The main Generic Structure of News Item Text:
- Newsworthy event(s)
- Elaboration ( background, participant, time, place )
- Resource of information
Language Features
The Language Features of News Item Text:
- Short, telegraphic information about story captured in headline
- Focusing on circumstances
- Using action verbs
- Using saying verbs
- Using adverbs : time, place and manner.
Example
Landslide in Bukittinggi
Two people died while four others were wounded in a landslide at a yard behind a house near Teleng market in Bukittinggi, West Sumatra on Tuesday.
The death people were 3-year-old Yusuf, who was the son of a kiosk owner at the market, Bujang, and 22-year-old Meli, who was a visitor to the market. The injured were rushed to the Achmad Muchtar and Yarsi hospitals.
Bukittinggi Deputy Mayor Ismet Amziz said Tuesday it was suspected that recent heavy rainfall had caused the landslide.
Source: the jakarta post
After reading above example of news item text, it is clearly that news item text is written to inform the newsworthy. It is socially important to know that there was an accident of landslide in Bukittinggi which caused two people died.
Additionally the generic structure of above news item is as follow:
- Newsworthy event: News item text presents the daily newsworthy. In this example of news item text, the first paragraph is the main event. It informs the reader that a landslide happened.
- Elaboration: The second paragraph of this example of news item gives further explanation about the main event that the two victim were 3 and 22 years old while the injured were brought to hospitals.
- Resource of information: The last paragraph is the official statement from the expert or the authority which strengthen the news of the main event.
Task
Click the link below.
Conclusion
News item text is a text that relates to the news. There are two kinds of news item text, written and spoken. News that we read in newspaper is written text form. News that we hear in radio or television is spoken text form. This text also has the generic structure. Those are newsworthy event, sources and background events.