Optimal encoding! - Information theory constrains article omission in newspaper headlines

Abstract

In this paper we argue that the distribution of article omission in newspaper headlines is constrained by information-theoretical principles (Shannon 1948). To this effect, we present corpus data and results from an acceptability rating study. Both point in the same direction: In our corpus, articles are significantly more frequent, when they precede a less predictable head noun. And subjects perceive article omission as more acceptable, if the head noun is (comparably) more predictable. This is in line with the information-theoretical prediction that article omission should be preferred over the overt realization of an article (provided that article omission is grammatical in the first place), if the head noun is comparably predictable in its local context.