Engagement Markers in Pakistani English Newspaper Editorials: A Corpus-Based Study

How Pakistani Newspapers Use Engagement Markers to Connect with Readers

When we pick up a newspaper, we do not usually stop to think about the subtle ways editors connect with us through language. Yet, behind every editorial lies a set of linguistic strategies designed to draw readers in, make them feel included, and guide their interpretation of the news. These strategies are called engagement markers (EM)—a subcategory of what linguists call metadiscourse.

A recent study examined how four major English newspapers in Pakistan—Dawn News (DN), The News (TN), The Frontier (TF), and The Express Tribune (TET)—use these engagement markers in their editorials. What makes this research unique is that it not only measured how often these markers appeared but also proposed a new model for classifying them, filling gaps in previous theories.

What Exactly Are Engagement Markers?

Engagement markers are linguistic signals that bring the reader into the conversation. They can appear in several forms, such as:

• Inclusive expressions (e.g., we, our)

• Personalization (direct references to you)

• Reader-address questions (posing questions to the audience)

• Asides (brief digressions aimed at the reader)

• Anecdotes and sayings (relatable mini-stories or proverbs)

Together, these elements transform editorials from being just informative to being reader-friendly and engaging.

The Study: A Corpus of 1,000 Editorials

To investigate, researchers built a corpus of 1,000 editorials, taking 250 from each newspaper. To avoid long-term shifts in editorial style, they narrowed the focus to a specific period—March and April 2016. This gave them a snapshot of how Pakistani English newspaper editorials (PENE) engaged with readers during that time.

The analysis combined both quantitative and qualitative approaches. On the one hand, researchers counted how often different engagement markers appeared. On the other, they examined the functions these markers served, identifying overlaps, fuzzy boundaries, and ways previous models fell short.

The Findings: Which Newspaper Engages Most?

Interestingly, the results showed that The Frontier (TF) relied on engagement markers far more heavily than its competitors. Compared to Dawn, The News, and The Express Tribune, TF’s editorials came across as more reader-friendly, conversational, and interactive.

This suggests that some newspapers consciously shape their writing to establish a stronger connection with their audience, while others maintain a more distant, formal style.

Why Does This Matter?

The study contributes to the ongoing debate in linguistics about how we distinguish between propositional (factual) and non-propositional (reader-oriented) content. Engagement markers sit right at this boundary, often blurring the lines. By clarifying these categories, the research not only helps linguists but also offers insights for journalists, editors, and even educators who want to understand how language shapes reader engagement.

The Big Questions Explored

The study set out to answer three key questions:

1. How frequently do metadiscourse markers appear in Pakistani English newspaper editorials?

2. What functions do these markers serve?

3. What similarities and differences exist among the four national newspapers in their use of engagement markers?

By proposing a fresh classification model and providing detailed comparisons, the study opens new doors for research on media language in Pakistan.

You can read the full article here: https://doi.org/10.46377/dilemas.v27i1.1553

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Posted by 

Dr. Ali Raza Siddique

PhD Applied Linguistics
Department of Applied Linguistics
Government College University Faisalabad, Punjab, Pakistan.