missing words in news article headlines

Question

I'm reading some papers and there is some gramatical construction in the heads I'm not completely sure about the meaning. For example:

SpaceX To Try Launch Tower Catch For Super Heavy

U.S. to declare Houthis a terrorist group, sparking fears it will worsen Yemen crisis

I can guess in the first there is the meaning:

SpaceX is Trying To Launch Tower Catch For Super Heavy

Or

SpaceX Has To Try Launch Tower Catch For Super Heavy.

but I'm not aware why this gramatical construction is using on heads of articles. Can you explain to me?

It's called headlinese. Knowing what it's called, you can find lots of information on this site and elsewhere. — TypeIA, Jan 12 '21 at 08:10

score 1 · Answer 1 · edited Jan 12 '21 at 16:10

If you read the story behind your first one you will see that

SpaceX to try launch tower catch for Super Heavy

in fact means

SpaceX ... is making plans to attempt to catch its reusable Super Heavy rocket with the arm of the launch tower

so they want to catch the reusable rocket using the launch tower to do it.

As @TypeIA mentioned headlinese is a dialect all of its own. Bear in mind the writer wants to pack as much in as possible to attract your attention.

1 Answers1