Critical question 3: Analyzing words in the titles of articles for MongKok case.

“Hong Kong riot police fire warning shots in bloody street clashes”

Riot: a noisy, violent public disorder caused by a group or crowd ofpersons

positive or negative: -7

potency: +6, weaker words like acts, violence

activity: +10

By illustrating the event as a “riot” along with other strong words such as ‘bloody’ and ‘clashes’, the journalist portrays the intensity of the case.

“Mongkok riot ‘fuelled by lack of hope”

Hope: a particular instance of this feeling

positive or negative: +5

potency: +3, stronger words like desire, weaker words like wants

activity: +2

Fuelled: something that sustains or encourages; stimulant

Positive or negative: 0

potency: +3, stronger words like stimulates, weaker words like encourages

activity: +2

Ironically, the title states ‘fuelled by lack of hope’, but not ‘fuelled by hope’. This makes the hope sounds weaker.

While both articles illustrate this MongKok case as a ‘riot’, the first title seems to emphasize the violent side of the riot with words such as bloody, clashes, and shots. Thus, the title shows the activity of the case.

On the other hand, the second title describes the event in more passive way. Words such as ‘fuelled’ and ‘hope’ are passive and weak words to describe the violence of the event.