Encoding of Information in Titles: Academic Pratices across Four Genres in Linguistics

Abstract

The title of an academic publication names, introduces, metonymically represents and advertises the content it labels, circulating from one text to the next. It is meant to be useful (informative and precise), logical (relevant to the work it names, easily classifiable and storable in databases) and reader-friendly (concise, understandable and appealing; Huth 1987; Swales and Feak 1994; Yitzhaki 1994; Busch-Lauer 2000; Dressler and Eckkramer 2001; Goodman et al. 2001; Yakhontova 2002; Hartley 2005; Lewinson and Hartley 2005; Hartley 2008). Yet, its encoding varies depending on editorial policies, individual authors’ stylistic preferences, and awareness of the role and expected impact of the title on the communicative situation.