IT LOSES SOMETHING IN THE TRANSLATION - SYNTAX AND SURVIVAL OF KEY WORDS IN SCIENCE AND NONSCIENCE PRESS RELEASES

This article examines the relationship between public relations practi tioner and journalist in the transmission of the language of science t o the public. By comparing the output of a public relations office wit h the newspaper stories that appeared ar a result of the office's effo rt the authors show that while newspapers simplify both science and no nscience releases, some science stories are less edited than nonscienc e releases. The findings support the notion that the media sharpen and level science stories, but they also suggest that simple apportionmen t of releases and articles into science and nonscience categories does not fully explain the process. That is because some science stories a re edited differently than other science stories.