The Meaning of Headlines: 'in a nutshell'

The Adelaide Advertiser published an article in their Cruise News section on 22 January 2017 with the headline: Best way to see Norway in a nutshell. What does ‘in a nutshell’ mean?

The American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms (2003) defines ‘in a nutshell’ as ‘concisely, in a few words.’ It adds that the phrase originated from the Roman writer, Pliny, when he described Homer’s Iliad ‘being copied in so tiny a hand that it could fit in a nutshell.’ A nutshell is the shell of a nut, usually a walnut with a domed shell.

Urban Dictionary defines ‘in a nutshell’ as ‘summed up’ or ‘condensed.’ The Cambridge Dictionary defines it as ‘using as few words as possible.’

The article is brief. It is a brief 163 words. The article mentions huskies, reindeer, and the northern lights in Norway. And ‘soaring mountains, deep fjords and quaint villages only accessible by sea.’ Also mentioned is the ‘Norway in a Nutshell’ tour for three nights.

Scorecard for the Adelaide Advertiser headline is 100%. The cruise announcement is brief and to the point, using as few words as possible, while also mentioning the Norway in a Nutshell tour. In a nutshell, I’m condensing this article too.

http://www.escape.com.au/holiday-ideas/cruises/best-cruise-deals-to-norway-hawaii-south-africa-and-singapore/news-story/6b2701c75feaf8ae573192b906fefbcc

MARTINA NICOLLS is an international aid and development consultant, and the author of:- The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Sudan Curse (2009).

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