The Analysis of Wartime Reporting: Patterns of Transitivity.

An analysis of war reporting in Japan during World War II examines, from a semantico-syntactic perspective, how language is used to systematize, transform, and sometimes mask reality. In wartime, a strong form of solidarity and control is essential as a device for unification and for maintaining popular morale. The approach is based in the notion that language not only reflects but also constrains perceptions of reality. Specifically, the semantic concept of transitivity is examined, i.e., the expression of "who or what does what to whom or what," and its relevance in political disclosure. Data were drawn from Japanese wartime newspaper reports, including banner headlines, headlines, and article text. It is concluded that in this case, the language or style of the text can shape a fictional reality to respond to social demand. (Contains 32 references.) (MSE)