Precedent Phenomena in German Media Headlines

Abstract

The article is devoted to the use of precedent phenomena in the headlines of media texts. These phenomena create parallels with other texts or events, making information more accessible to a wide range of readers who may not be familiar with legal, economic, or political terminology. The research is based on the results of studying precedent as a form of intertextuality and the classification of precedent phenomena by Russian scholars. The introduction briefly presents the history of this topic. The article argues that the use of precedent phenomena in media texts not only creates necessary associations but also reflects the author's stance on the described issue or phenomenon. It also highlights the emotional aspect and creates vivid associations to facilitate readers' understanding of the essence of the events being described. The study shows that authors of the informational and political publication Der Spiegel, which served as the source material for the research, prefer to use detailed and informative headlines aimed at providing readers with a comprehensive understanding of the text's content. The use of precedent phenomena in headlines is primarily aimed at engaging with a broad readership, which explains the choice of corresponding phenomena of universal and national order. These phenomena help create images and associations that are understandable to representatives of different cultural communities. Furthermore, authors of news texts in Der Spiegel adhere to journalistic ethical principles, and therefore, the headlines of the texts primarily serve communicative and informative functions, while the emotional function plays a secondary role.