DESCRIPTIVE ADJECTIVES IN TRAVEL BLOG HEADLINES
Abstract
This research explores the use of descriptive adjectives in English-language travel blog headlines from a linguistic perspective, focusing on semantics, grammar, applied linguistics, and media linguistics. A corpus of 100 headlines from five modern travel blogs (The Planet D, offMetro, Lost LeBlanc, The Endless Adventure, Kasia Writes) was analyzed, identifying the most frequent adjectives (BEST, BEAUTIFUL, PERFECT, LUXURY, ULTIMATE, EPIC, TOP, and HIDDEN), their semantic and grammatical features, as well as patterns in the use of certain types of adjectives depending on thematic orientation of the blog.Semantically, the adjectives were categorized as evaluative, emotive, denoting place and significance, sensory, qualitative, value-based, and relational, revealing niche-specific usage that aligns with bloggers’ strategies to engage their target audiences. Most travel bloggers have been shown to rely on evaluative and emotive adjectives, as well as those that denote value since they significantly impact audience engagement.Grammatically, adjectives were divided according to their method of modifying a noun, specifically into attributive, predicative, and postpositive. It was determined that most of the headlines contain attributive adjectives. Only two out of a hundred headlines had predictive adjectives, and there was one adjective used postpositively.Descriptive adjectives are often capitalized in headlines to enhance the visual impact and increase the likelihood that a reader or viewer will interact with the content. Moreover, it was found that superlatives were used in more than a third of the headlines.Ultimately, the article sheds light on the importance of a meticulous language choice for travel blog headlines, which can help make posts more readable and convincing, and, as a result, attract more readers.Future research might focus on examining the broader impact of adjectives in online communication and the blogosphere in particular to enhance audience engagement, achieve communication goals, and optimize content strategies.
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