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squidguy t1_iuh4pwr wrote

Reply to comment by Stormy-Skyes in Iran, Sadaf Movahedi a 17-years-old teenage student dies after being hit by police baton by sirbarani

Passive headline voice used to blunt the effect of state violence. It happens all the time in America, but now that you notice it, you’ll be seeing it everywhere.

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quichemiata t1_iuh8bw8 wrote

Daily nation Pakistan is the publisher, it was likely on purpose

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jamesbideaux t1_iuhbd8y wrote

or it's the result of being translated.

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chadenright t1_iuido0a wrote

No, if it said something like, "Iranian police beat, murder 17-year-old student" I could understand translation issues. But either the translator got creative with the title, or there is no mention of the active, participating killer in the actual title - just the murder weapon.

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SardScroll t1_iuji0gh wrote

There's more to it than that. There are tricks to writing head lines, especially if you care about clicks/read/papers sold (which to be fair, it is a headline. It's supposed to be an attention grabbing summery, not a detailed account. That's what the body is (supposed to be) for).

Active voice requires the subject (usually the first words in a sentence) to be the Iranian police, rather than the victim.

Iranian police, being violent oppressive tyrants = we know, yawn

17 yo student, dying = investment, care, click.

Same information, different focus, different reaction.

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