Ellipsis
Leaving
out words to avoid repeatation or in other cases when the
meaning ca be understood without them is called ellipsis (Swan, 1996:172). The use of ellipsis was first detected
in the ancient German dialect. It is often used in writing and speech. In writing, ellipsis can be
found easily in the literary works, articles, etc. Roedig
describes that ellipsis is also used in the newspaper reporting frequently. It
is especially used because word omission implies hidden implications which
captivates the imagination and attention of an audience
In
accordance with a demand of news writing which must be brief, solid, simple,
fluent, clear, unadorned, and interesting language, the use of ellipsis can not
be avoided especially in writing a news title. In
compiling a news title, the writer leaves out some words from a sentence in
order that it is attractive and catchy so it can create enthusiasm and
expectation in readers.
There
are many kinds of ellipsis in English. They have different structure and use.
In his book, Swan writes some types of ellipsis, such as:
1. Ellipsis with and,
but, and or
2. Ellipsis at the beginning of sentence
3. Ellipsis in noun phrases
4. Ellipsis after auxiliary verb
5. Ellipsis with infinitives
In
this study, the researcher uses types of ellipsis described by Swan to analyze
elliptical sentences used in the titles of headline news in the The Jakarta Post.
Type of Ellipsis
Ellipsis
is the omission of words from sentences that are automatically understood so
that the words do not need to be stated. There are some types of ellipsis in
English. Here, they will be discussed in detail.
Type of ellipsis described by Swan below can be found in spoken
and written text. They can be in a formal style. The headline news titles
analyzed in this research are in formal forms. Therefore, the researcher
doesn’t use some types of ellipsis in informal forms like: (and) then in ellipsis with and,
but, and or, ellipsis after adjectives in noun phrases, short answer and so am I in ellipsis after auxiliary verbs, and
ellipsis of infinitives because most of them are often used in informal styles
and in spoken languages.
Ellipsis
1. Various kinds of word left
out
When expressions are joined by and, but or or, we often
leave out repeated words or phrases of various kinds.
Example:
A knife and (a) fork
Antique (furniture) or modern
furniture
2. Word order
When two verbs, objects etc are the same, it is not always
the second that it left out. We leave out the first if that will produce a
simpler word order and sentence structure.
Example:
Cats (catch mice) and dogs catch
mice. (Not Cats catch mice and dogs.)
3. Singular and plural
When one verb follows two singular subjects connected by and, a plural verb forms is of course
used if necessary.
Example:
My mother and father smoke. (Not My
mother and father smokes.)
When two singular subjects are connected by or, the verb is
singular.
Either Jake or Steve was here this
morning.
4. Other conjunctions
Ellipsis is not normally possible after other conjunction
besides and, but and or.
Example:
She didn’t know where she was when
she woke up. (Not … when woke up).
5. (and) then
In an informal style, ellipsis is sometimes possible after
then even if and is dropped.
Example:
Peter started first, (and) then
Colin (started).
Ellipsis at the beginning of a sentence
1. Words that can be left out
Words that can be left out include articles (the, a/an), possessives (my, your etc), personal pronouns. (I, you, etc), auxiliary verb (am, have
etc) and the preparatory subject there.
Example:
Car’s running badly (= The car’s …)
Wife’s on holiday (= My wife’s …)
2. Unstressed forms of be,
will, would, have
We do not usually drop so
as to begin sentences with unstressed forms of be, will, would or auxiliary have
(though this sometimes happens in postcard, diary entries and other kinds
of very informal writing).
Example:
I’m coming tomorrow or coming tomorrow.
But not Am coming
tomorrow (Am is not stressed)
3. I and it
Auxiliary verbs can be left out before personal pronouns
excepts I and it.
You ready? (= Are you ready ?)
4. Tags
Ellipsis is very common in sentences that have some sort of
tag.
Example:
Can’t swim. Myself
Dutch, aren’t you ?
