Is the word “board” in the headline a noun?  Or, is it a verb?

Is the word “train” in the headline a noun?  Or, is it a verb?

The headline can be read and understood in two different ways, depending on your selection.

If you decide that the word “board” is a noun and “train” is a verb, then you might expect to read about the type of training or preparation that members of an editorial board are undertaking before their trip to a nuclear site.

If you decide that the word “board” is a verb and “train” is a noun, then you might expect to read about the how foreign journalists are physically getting on a train because they are going to visit a nuclear site.

Sometimes the grammatical uncertainty in a newspaper headline makes for interesting reading.

It’s a little bit like the recent “Laurel” and “Yanny” auditory illusion or the blue/yellow dress visual controversy of 2015:  the meaning of the newspaper headline changes depending on the reader’s personal decision to understand a word as a noun or as a verb.

Here’s another example: “Petite fly from a bright guy” is one of the headlines in a recent issue of The Economist.

By reading the headline alone, the reader is not certain if the article is about a tiny, two-winged insect discovered by a smart person or if it is about a small thing (French: petite) taking flight from a smart person.

In the first case, the word “fly” is interpreted as a noun; in the second case, the word “fly” is interpreted as a verb.

Interestingly enough, the article is about the invention of the world’s lightest microdrone.

The drone looks like a fly, and it flies away.  Cool, eh?

When you’re reading newspaper or magazine headlines, it is important to remember that alternative readings are possible.

Unravelling those double meanings that are hidden within the headlines can be a lot of fun.

Happy Reading, Happy Learning!