dateline
C1-C2Formal (journalism, geography), Semi-formal (business/project management for deadline sense)
Definition
Meaning
A line in a newspaper, report, or document stating the date and place of origin of the news or information.
1. The imaginary line on the surface of the Earth that marks the change of one calendar day to the next (International Date Line). 2. A deadline or time limit for a project or submission.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The word operates in two distinct semantic fields: journalism/communication and geography. The 'deadline' sense is a metaphorical extension of the 'time of origin' concept but is not the primary meaning.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning. In journalism, both use the term identically. The spelling is consistent.
Connotations
In British English, the 'deadline' sense is slightly less common and may sound more American-influenced or corporate.
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in American English, primarily due to its extended use in media and business contexts.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
The article [HAS/A CARRIES] a dateline of Paris.The report [WAS FILED/DISPATCHED] under a Moscow dateline.We need to [ESTABLISH/SET] a new dateline for the proposal.Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Cross the dateline.”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Metaphorical use for a project deadline: 'The new dateline for the Q3 report is Friday.'
Academic
Used in media studies or geography when discussing news reporting or global timekeeping.
Everyday
Rare. May be understood in travel context regarding the International Date Line.
Technical
Precise term in journalism (news dispatch origin) and cartography/geography (International Date Line).
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The correspondent datelined his report from Kyiv.
- The story was datelined Washington.
American English
- She datelined the article 'Los Angeles, October 5'.
- The dispatch was datelined Beijing.
adverb
British English
- The report was filed dateline Geneva. (Rare/archaic)
American English
- He wrote dateline Baghdad. (Rare/archaic)
adjective
British English
- A dateline error can undermine a report's credibility.
- The dateline information was crucial.
American English
- The dateline protocol was strictly followed.
- Check the dateline accuracy.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The news article had a dateline that said 'London'.
- When you fly from Tokyo to San Francisco, you cross the International Date Line.
- The journalist carefully included the correct dateline for her dispatch from the climate conference.
- The editor questioned the authenticity of the report because its Kabul dateline conflicted with the reporter's known itinerary.
- The project's final dateline was brought forward by two weeks, putting the team under considerable pressure.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a DATE on a LINE in a newspaper article. It's the line that gives you the date (and place) of the news.
Conceptual Metaphor
TIME/LOCATION IS A MARKER (A line marks a specific point in time and space).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid confusing with 'крайний срок' (deadline) as the primary translation. The primary meaning is 'выходные данные (место и время)' in journalism. The 'International Date Line' is 'линия перемены дат'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'dateline' to mean any random date in a document. Confusing it with 'deadline' in all contexts. Misspelling as 'deadline' or 'date line'.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'dateline' LEAST likely to be used?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
A 'dateline' states when/where something was written (origin). A 'deadline' is the time by which something must be finished (limit). 'Dateline' can be used metaphorically to mean 'deadline', but this is not its primary meaning.
It is standard as one word ('dateline') for the noun and verb forms related to news and geography. 'Date line' as two words is sometimes seen but is less common for the specific term.
Yes, in journalism. It means to provide a dispatch or article with a dateline. E.g., 'The story was datelined Paris.'
It is the imaginary line in the Pacific Ocean, roughly following the 180° meridian, where the calendar date changes. Crossing it eastward subtracts a day; crossing it westward adds a day.