The Rhetorical Structure of Editorials in English, Swedish and Finnish Business Newspapers
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The Rhetorical Structure of Editorials in English, Swedish and Finnish Business
Newspapers
Heli Katajamäki and Merja Koskela
University of Vaasa
Abstract
In this article we will study the rhetorical structure of editorials in English, Swedish and
Finnish business newspapers, Financial Times, Dagens Industri, and Taloussanomat.
Our aim is to find out if there is a typical rhetorical structure for the editorials and if
there are different types. Our analysis shows that the typical rhetorical structure for the
editorials includes an introduction section, an intermediate section and a coda. When
there is variation it concerns two stages of the rhetorical structure, i.e. the solution and
the moral.
Keywords: rhetorical structure, business newspapers, editorials, genre
1 Introduction
Economical journalism is defined by its content. When it comes to form, however, it uses the same
genres as general journalism, and according to Parsons (1989: 41), it has not introduced any genres
of its own. Both newspapers for the general public and e.g. business newspapers have seemingly
similar-looking editorial pages hosting a genre called the ‘editorial’. On a general level, the genre
has the same communicative purpose irrespective of the type of journalism (cf. Swales 1990).
However, genres are closely related to the discourses they co-occur with (Fairclough 1992), and
economical orders of discourse might affect the ways editorials in business newspapers are
structured rhetorically. In addition, cultural factors like the national culture of the writer and the
ideology of the newspaper can cause variation within a genre.
In this article we will study the rhetorical structure of editorials in English, Swedish and Finnish
business newspapers, Financial Times, Dagens Industri, and Taloussanomat. We seek to answer the
following questions: first, is there a typical rhetorical structure for the editorials in business
newspapers irrespective of national and cultural features, secondly, if traces of such a structure can
be found, are there different types and what are these, and third, what factors connected with the
content of the text, language and culture seem to correlate with the different types. The results of
the pilot study reported in this article will be used as a basis for the planning of a new research
project on intercultural aspects of editorials in business newspapers.
Katajamäki, Heli & Koskela, Merja (2006). The rhetorical structure of editorials in English, Swedish and Finnish business
newspapers. Teoksessa Proceedings of the 5th International Aelfe Conference. Actas del V Congreso International
AELFE. Prensas Universitarias de Zaragoza. 215−219.2 Material and method
The material of the study consists of 22 editorials from three business newspapers, Dagens Industri
(DI, 7 editorials), Financial Times (FT, 7 editorials) and Taloussanomat (TS, 8 editorials). Among
the editorials published in March 2006 at the top of the editorial page we have selected editorials
that are not explicitly political and concern macro-economics. This means that the chosen editorials
discuss economical questions from a national or international point of view rather than from the
point of view of one individual, a political party or one company. The texts are descriptions of
economical issues as processes concerned with the ups and downs of the economy. Despite our
efforts to restrict the material to purely economical topics, the issues discussed sometimes have a
political undercurrent, but in any case, the economical aspects prevail.
Our method is based on argumentation analysis. Although the starting point is in the content, we are
focusing on the rhetorical structure of whole texts. The analysis of argumentation starts with the
interpretation of the primary thesis of the editorial. The interpretation is based on a pragmatic view
supported by the reading of the whole text. This pragmatic view is a necessity, as the primary thesis
cannot be found on the basis of semantic reasoning alone (Tirkkonen-Condit 1986: 375).
We expect that there is a thesis in all the editorials studied, because editorials in business
newspapers are realisations of instrumental discourse (cf. e.g. Tirkkonen-Condit 1986: 377).
Editorials are used to influence an audience towards some end. In short, they are rhetorical by
nature, and the argumentation in them is intended to resolve some difference of opinion (van
Eemeren & Grootendorst 1984, van Eemeren et al. 1997: 218; see also Gill & Whedbee 1997: 157).
As a starting point for our analysis we use a modification of van Dijk’s view of the rhetorical
structure of editorials. Van Dijk (1993: 265−266) divides editorials into three sections, which
contain arguments (see also Nanri 2004: 13). These sections may contain several stages, which each
have their own function (see Eggins & Martin 1997). Our model consists of the following sections
and stages:
1) The introduction section, which describes an event or a critical state of affairs;
2) The intermediate section, where the text moves to the consequences of the event, and
analyses them. The section can be divided into two stages, 2.1) intermediate stage which can
include reasons, evidence or examples, and 2.2) solution;
3) Coda, which consists of 3.1) a conclusion, which closes the text. Sometimes the closing
also contains 3.2) a moral, which we consider a stage of its own.
Katajamäki, Heli & Koskela, Merja (2006). The rhetorical structure of editorials in English, Swedish and Finnish business
newspapers. Teoksessa Proceedings of the 5th International Aelfe Conference. Actas del V Congreso International
AELFE. Prensas Universitarias de Zaragoza. 215−219.3 Results
Most of the editorials in our material employ the structure composed of the sections and
stages mentioned in our model. In this respect our material reminds closely of editorials in
general newspapers (cf. van Dijk 1993; Nanri 2004), and proves right the conclusion that the
editorial is a rather unified genre irrespective of the type of journalism it occurs in.
The length of the editorials, however, varies depending on the newspaper. Notably, Dagens
Industri has the longest, and therefore the most detailed editorials (up to 12 paragraphs),
whereas the two other newspapers have editorials that have 5–8 paragraphs.
As Table 1 shows, the rhetorical structure of our material shows little variation in spite of the
fact that the texts represent three countries and three languages. The only noticeable
exceptions to the rhetorical structure concern the solution stage (2.2) and the moral (3.2).
CLASSES/ DAGENS FINANCIAL TALOUS- ALL
NEWSPAPERS INDUSTRI TIMES SANOMAT
(7) (7) (8) (22)
1. Introduction 7 7 8 22
section
2 Intermediate
section
2.1 Intermediate stage 7 7 8 22
2.2 Solution stage 4 3 1 8
3 Coda
3.1 Conclusion 7 7 8 22
3.2 Moral 3 2 2 7
Table 1. The rhetorical structure in Dagens Industri, Financial Times and Taloussanomat.
As shown in Table 1, the solution stage is fairly rare in Taloussanomat, but occurs in more than a
half of the editorials in Dagens Industri. Our interpretation of what a solution is might differ from
e.g. Nanri’s (2004: 6). In his study of Japanese editorials, the last section of the rhetorical structure
is a conclusion that provides the text-initial event with a solution. In our material, however, a
solution, if there is any, seems to be a part of the intermediate section, and conclusions very seldom
include solutions. The fact that the solution stage is more common in Dagens Industri than in the
other two newspapers studied can be related to the length of the text, but this is not the only
Katajamäki, Heli & Koskela, Merja (2006). The rhetorical structure of editorials in English, Swedish and Finnish business
newspapers. Teoksessa Proceedings of the 5th International Aelfe Conference. Actas del V Congreso International
AELFE. Prensas Universitarias de Zaragoza. 215−219.explanation. Another explanation is that the topics discussed are such that a solution, as well as
someone responsible for carrying it out, is possible to identify, which is not always the case when
abstract macro-economical issues are discussed.
According to van Dijk (1993: 265) the moral is an optional element in the rhetorical structure of
editorials. In our material, a moral can be found in 7 texts of 22, again most often in Dagens
Industri. Below Text 1 represents an editorial that has both a solution and a moral.
Text 1. Bank of Japan starts the return to normal (FT10032006).
1) Introductory section
Ending quantitative easing could prove perilously premature. (Headline, subheading, paragraph 1)
2) Intermediate section:
2.1) Intermediate stage: Quantitative easing has been above a necessary level, and the bank believed it was
time to end it. Exceptional measures are justified by exceptional conditions. (Paragraphs 2–4)
2.2) Solution and supporting solution: The bank of Japan should attempt to target a rate of inflation of 2 per
cent, at least. (Paragraphs 5−6)
3) Coda:
3.1) Moral: The Japanese experience of the past 15 years has had one clear and overriding lesson: in an
exceptional situation, orthodoxy is far more dangerous than its opposite. (Paragraph 7)
3.2) Conclusion: The Bank of Japan has now taken a step towards the orthodox and is taking a risk in doing so.
Let us hope that it will not, as a result, damage the recovery now under way. (Paragraph 7)
The thesis of Text 1, that the Bank of Japan might have ended quantitative easing too early, is stated
explicitly in the subheading in the form of a warning. In paragraph 1 a critical issue is introduced,
i.e. that the Bank of Japan announced the end of quantitative easing and that this is a return to a
normal situation. The following two paragraphs provide a background and reasons for the issue at
stake. These two paragraphs (2–3) can be interpreted either as belonging to the introduction section
or as a part of the intermediate section. We have categorized them as a part of the intermediate
section together with paragraph 4, because even though the paragraphs describe past events they also
support the thesis by providing reasons and evidence in the form of statistical information.
The solution presented in stage 2.2 tells the Bank of Japan what it should do with respect to the rate
of inflation if Japan is to be a “normal” country with a normal central bank. Evidently, the solution
does not cover the whole problem, but only one part of it. This is typical of other texts with solutions
in our material as well. Solutions are presented for such aspects of the issue where an agent who is
able to solve the issue can be identified.
Katajamäki, Heli & Koskela, Merja (2006). The rhetorical structure of editorials in English, Swedish and Finnish business
newspapers. Teoksessa Proceedings of the 5th International Aelfe Conference. Actas del V Congreso International
AELFE. Prensas Universitarias de Zaragoza. 215−219.The Coda section in Text 1 consists of both a moral and a conclusion in this order. This text is
exceptional in that the moral is presented before the conclusion. As van Dijk (1993) has observed,
the moral is an optional element. In Text 1 it is explicitly signaled (…has had one clear and
overriding lesson). This seems to be the case especially in the editorials in Financial Times.
4 Conclusions
In our analysis we set out to answer the question if there is a typical rhetorical structure for the
editorials in business newspapers irrespective of national and cultural features. This seems to be the
case, at least when it comes to the texts in our material. We also wanted to find out if there is
variation between the editorials and if specific types of rhetorical structure can be identified. Based
on our results we can conclude that when there is variation it concerns two stages of the rhetorical
structure, i.e. the solution and the moral. The Swedish newspaper Dagens Industri having the longest
editorials also has a solution and a moral slightly more often than the other two newspapers.
Otherwise, the cultural factors seem to be more connected with the field of economics and its
prevailing ideologies than with national features, at least on the level of rhetorical structure.
The results of our study indicate that editorials in business newspapers seldom present any direct
solutions for the critical issues discussed. Several reasons for this can be identified. First, the topic of
the text might be so abstract that any agent simply cannot be identified who would have it in his
power to carry out the solution. This idea can be connected with the Neoliberalist view of the
economy that many business newspapers seem to agree with, i.e. the economy is an independent
system having its own logic, meaning e.g. that government intervention in the domestic economy
should be minimized (Chomsky 2000: 8). Second, a solution might be so obvious that it does not
need to be stated explicitly for an expert readership that understands and probably also shares the
ideology of the newspaper. For example, if the thesis states that protectionism is rising in USA, the
writer takes it for granted that protectionism is something negative and that the US government
knows what should be done to turn the development, if they were willing. However, the solution
might not be obvious for all the readers. Third, our choice of material for this study might at least in
part explain the low number of solutions presented in the intermediate section. We have limited our
material to editorials dealing with economical questions and left out political texts in which
politicians would form a natural target for a suggested solution.
Our study also indicates that there might be a connection between solution and moral. They tend to
appear in the same editorials, but with our limited material this result cannot be verified. The
relationships between the thesis, the solution and the moral respectively form an interesting question
for further research.
Katajamäki, Heli & Koskela, Merja (2006). The rhetorical structure of editorials in English, Swedish and Finnish business
newspapers. Teoksessa Proceedings of the 5th International Aelfe Conference. Actas del V Congreso International
AELFE. Prensas Universitarias de Zaragoza. 215−219.Proposing solutions for economical issues concerning the future is not an easy task for the writer of
an editorial. This might explain why moral occur in our material almost as often as solution does.
The development of economy takes place in periods, and every period is connected with a lesson.
Therefore morals are far easier and less risky to express than predictions of the future.
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Katajamäki, Heli & Koskela, Merja (2006). The rhetorical structure of editorials in English, Swedish and Finnish business
newspapers. Teoksessa Proceedings of the 5th International Aelfe Conference. Actas del V Congreso International
AELFE. Prensas Universitarias de Zaragoza. 215−219.You can also read
