Group

2
TABLOID
NEWSPAPER
Lecturer: Trần Nhã Quân
Member: Trần Thị Như Biển
Trần Thị Hồng Gấm
Trần Thị Lệ Hằng
Dương Nguyễn Hoàng Mai
Đặng Thị Nhung
Nguyễn Tấn Phúc
Table of contents

01 02 03 04
Register Lexis Grammar Style

05 06
Source Typographical
features
Brand name
Headline

Subtitle

Lead

Main body
DON'T MAKE OUR MISTAKE: As assisted suicide bill goes to Lords, Dutch watchdog who
once backed euthanasia warns UK of 'slippery slope' to mass killing.
LEGALISING assisted suicide is a slippery slope toward widespread killing of the sick, MPs and peers were
told yesterday.
A former euthanasia supporter warned of a surge in deaths if Parliament allowed doctors to give deadly drugs to their
patients.
‘Don’t do it Britain,’ said Theo Boer, a veteran European watchdog in assisted suicide cases. ‘Once the genie is out of
the bottle, it is not likely ever to go back in again.’ His native Netherlands, where euthanasia has been legal since
2002, has seen deaths double in just six years and this year’s total may reach a record 6,000.
Professor Boer’s intervention comes as peers prepare to debate the Assisted Dying Bill, promoted by Lord Falconer, a
Labour former Lord Chancellor. The bill, which has its second reading next week, would allow doctors to prescribe
poison to terminally ill and mentally alert people who wish to kill themselves.
Professor Boer, who is an academic in the field of ethics, had argued seven years ago that a ‘good euthanasia law’
would produce relatively low numbers of deaths. But, speaking in a personal capacity yesterday, he said he now
believed that the very existence of a euthanasia law turns assisted suicide from a last resort into a normal procedure.
A ‘slippery slope’ for assisted dying in Britain would mean that euthanasia would follow the same path as abortion,
which was legalised in 1967. There are now nearly 200,000 terminations a year. Anti-euthanasia campaigners and
disability activists called on politicians to listen to the professor’s warning.
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Register
1
What is the mode?
 Written
What is the relationship between the writer and the reader?
 The writer’s plays in providing information
 The reader plays to receive information and not limit the reader.
⇒ Informal relationship.
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Register
1
What is the function of the text?

 Convey the drama of assisted suicide in the Netherlands.

 Warn the UK to be more aware of assisted suicide → Because this

law makes people abuse and use this way to die.

 Provide the information for people know the problem of assisted

suicide.
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Register
1
Specific content

 The main content of this newspaper talks about assisted suicide has

been legal since 2002 in the Netherlands.

 To prevent this threat, professors have warned the UK don’t follow

the Dutch mistake.

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Register
1
Purpose of the text
 The primary purpose of the text wants to warn the UK and
Netherlands to stop legal assisted suicide if not the number of dead
increases in the future.
 Recommend other professors don’t make Boer professor mistake.
 Raise awareness of the dead and don’t abuse this right to kill
themselves.
02 LEXIS
Lexis 1: Headlines

 Headlines: sub-headlines
 Headlines in tabloids: sensation
 Style: Appropriate
 Connotations of the words:
The colloquial verb “’ euthanasia” is an informal
‘slippery slope’ reference “ for assisted suicide in Britain”
‘Once the genie is out of the bottle, it is not likely ever to go back in again.’: something
happens that cannot be stopped”
 02 LEXIS

“ the genie is out of the bottle” the genie here means (in Arabian stories) a spirit with
magic powers, especially one that lives in a bottle or a lamp.
 Connotation meaning: to do something that has a big effect and after which it is very
difficult or impossible to go back to how things were before. This refers to the
situation in the Netherlands.
 Modifiers: are used in tabloids as they help journalists to provide details.
 “The bill, which has its second reading next week”.
 Adverbials: are used to add extra details and provide accurate information
 Adverbs of time: “ seven years ago, yesterday, next week, as peers prepare to debate
the Assisted Dying Bill, this year, since 2002”
 Adverbs of reason: “ promoted by Lord Falconer, a Labour former Lord Chancellor,
 Adverbs of place: “in Britain”.
02 LEXIS
Lexis 2: Reports

 The words chosen informal.

 Modifier used to express to make report sensational.
 Participants named directly and clearly.
 Adverbials are used to show the time and place.
03 GRAMMAR A. Headlines
 The headline: “ Don’t make our mistake”  is an imperative sentence.

 The subline: “ As assisted suicide bill goes to Lords, Dutch watchdog

who once backed euthanasia warns the UK of 'slippery slope to mass
killing” is a complex sentence that further explains the headline with the
word “warn”

 There is no passive voice used in the headline and subline.

 There is an ambiguity in the headline with the imperative sentence that

aims to cultivate the reader’s interest at the very beginning.
03 GRAMMAR
B. Reports

3.1.This article uses a variety of sentence structures.

 Simple sentence
 “There are now nearly 200,000 terminations a year”
 “This practice accounts for more than 12 percent of all deaths in the country”.
 “I used to be a supporter of the Dutch law [...]”
 03 GRAMMAR
B. Reports

 The complex sentence appears almost the whole text

 A former euthanasia supporter warned of a surge in deaths if Parliament allowed
doctors to give deadly drugs to their patients.
 Dignity in Dying, the pressure group which supports Lord Falconer’s bill, dismissed
fears that the legislation might lead to similar horrors.
 The bill, which has its second reading next week, would allow doctors to prescribe
poison to terminally ill and mentally alert people who wish to kill themselves.
 B. Reports
3.2.Initial-position conjunction

There is an initial-position conjunction in the sentence:

 “ But, speaking in a personal capacity yesterday, he said he now believed that the very

existence of a euthanasia law turns assisted suicide from a last resort into a normal

procedure.” The conjunction “ But” creates a suspense for the article, signaling to the

reader an unexpected detail is about to happen.

 ‘I used to be a supporter of the Dutch law. But now, with 12 years of experience, I take a

very different view.

 ‘Once the genie is out of the bottle, it is not likely ever to go back in again.’
 B. Reports

The journalist also uses a dash/dashes to control the length of sentences:

 ‘Some of these patients could have lived for years or decades. Pressure on doctors to

conform to patients’ – or in some cases relatives’ – wishes can be intense.”

 In 2012, there were 4,188 deaths by direct euthanasia – 3 percent of all deaths – and 3,695

deaths by direct euthanasia in 2011.

 Doctors in neighboring Belgium are collectively killing an average of five people every

day by euthanasia – with a 27 percent surge in one year.

 B. Reports
3.3 Indirect speech
Direct speech

 The Paralympian, Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, said: ‘What Dr Boer says comes
as no surprise.’ ‘An assisted dying law is playing with fire, especially when there are
no safeguards in place. Lord Falconer’s bill just isn’t fit for purpose.’
 ‘Don’t do it Britain,’ said Theo Boer, a veteran European watchdog in assisted suicide
cases. ‘Once the genie is out of the bottle, it is not likely ever to go back in again.’
 Baroness Jane Campbell, who is a disability rights campaigner, said: ‘As happens in
Holland, Lord Falconer’s bill could end up encompassing significant numbers of
seriously ill people.’
 Indirect speech: B. Reports

 “Legalising assisted suicide is a slippery slope toward widespread killing of the sick”
 Professor Boer, who is an academic in the field of ethics, had argued seven years ago that
a ‘good euthanasia law’ would produce relatively low numbers of deaths.
 But, speaking in a personal capacity yesterday, he said he now believed that the very
existence of a euthanasia law turns assisted suicide from a last resort into a normal
procedure.

 He (Professor Boer) said assisted deaths have increased by about 15 percent every year
since 2008 and the number could hit a record 6,000 this year.
04. Style Sentence types
Simple sentences
 Legalising assisted suicide is a slippery slope toward widespread killing of the sick, MPs
and peers were told yesterday.
 ‘Don’t do it Britain,’ said Theo Boer, a veteran European watchdog in assisted suicide
cases. ‘Once the genie is out of the bottle, it is not likely ever to go back in again.’
 Professor Boer’s intervention comes as peers prepare to debate the Assisted Dying Bill,
promoted by Lord Falconer, a Labour former Lord Chancellor.
 There are now nearly 200,000 terminations a year.
 Anti-euthanasia campaigners and disability activists called on politicians to listen to the
professor’s warning.
04. Style Sentence types

Complex sentences

 The bill, which has its second reading next week, would allow doctors to prescribe

poison to terminally ill and mentally alert people who wish to kill themselves.

 A ‘slippery slope’ for assisted dying in Britain would mean that euthanasia would follow

the same path as abortion, which was legalised in 1967.

04. Style Sentence types

Compound - complex sentences

 As assisted suicide bill goes to Lords, Dutch watchdog who once backed euthanasia

warns UK of 'slippery slope' to mass deaths.

 His native Netherlands, where euthanasia has been legal since 2002, has seen deaths

double in just six years and this year’s total may reach a record 6,000.
04. Style Sentence types

Marked themes

  Legalising assisted suicide is a slippery slope toward widespread killing of the

sick, MPs and peers were told yesterday.

 As assisted suicide bill goes to Lords, Dutch watchdog who once backed
euthanasia warns UK of 'slippery slope' to mass deaths.

 But, speaking in a personal capacity yesterday, he said he now believed that the
very existence of a euthanasia law turns assisted suicide from a last resort into a
normal procedure.
04. Style Sentence types

End focus

 As assisted suicide bill goes to Lords, Dutch watchdog who once backed euthanasia
warns UK of 'slippery slope' to mass deaths. => End focus: to mass death.

 A former euthanasia supporter warned of a surge in deaths if Parliament allowed

doctors to give deadly drugs to their patients. => End focus: to give deadly drugs
to their patients.
 Anti-euthanasia campaigners and disability activists called on politicians to listen to
the professor’s warning. => End focus: to listen to the professor’s warning.
04. Style Sentence types

Existential “there”: There are now nearly 200,000 terminations a year.

Passive voice:  Legalizing assisted suicide is a slippery slope toward widespread killing
of the sick, MPs and peers were told yesterday.
Professor Boer’s intervention comes as peers prepare to debate the Assisted Dying Bill,
promoted by Lord Falconer, a Labour former Lord Chancellor.
05. Source

The newspaper cited Un-official sources from unauthorized persons:

 Theo Boer – Ph.D. and a veteran European watchdog

 Tanni Grey-Thompson- a wheel-chair racer

 Baroness Jane Campbell - a disability rights campaigner

06. Typographical features
Capitalization: The headline using ca capitalize deadline and in bold to emphasize its
topic, attracts attention. The imperative clause makes the tone seem more serious. The
headline extends across the whole page.

Sub-headline: start a sentence with “as” meaning states the reason for this consequence

The naming of the participant and place “ Dutch”, “ Britain”.

The typographical features are varied.

Euthanasia: the geek word literally means: “ mercy killing” or ‘ good death”

Mass killing: concerning a large quantity or number

06. Typographical features
The sentence organization is distinctive.

Using idiom:” slippery slope”

Capitalize the first word of the first paragraph: LEGALISING.

Variation in print size?

• Different print sizes depend on their function such as headline, sub-headline, and
paragraph.

• Highlight the important words, sentences, and writer in bold type.

 The first paragraph uses larger print and bold. The rest is smaller and uses standard
print size.

Colour used?

 Using a black colour whole news to show the consistency of the text.

Images?

 There is no image used to illustrate this news because it does not have a precise
number in the article.
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