Friday, April 13, 2007
 
Senseless Shooting in Illinois
Cahokia fire kills mother, 3 children

I am trying to figure out the use of passive/active voice in St. Louis Post-Dispatch headlines. I think the rules are something like this:
  • If it's an intentional act of causing harm performed by a perpetrator of a crime, it calls for passive voice: Man Is Killed In Robbery.
  • If it's an act of nature that can show no mens rea, use a transitive verb that implies intention in the active voice: Cahokia Fire Kills Mother, 3 Children.
Does that about cover it?


 
To say Noggle, one first must be able to say the "Nah."