Text: What is it?

Over the past few weeks I thought I was understanding Eyman’s articles more and more. This week’s excerpt on defining text changed that. I read through this section multiple times. I understand that text is more than printed words. In this blog, I am going to try and use that base understanding (and steal some things) to define the word myself.

Beaugrande and Dressler (1981)

One of the first definitions of text introduced in the section is via Robert de Beaugrande and Wolfgang Dressler. Their definition resonated with me more than the others.

They break text up into six parts: “cohesion, coherence, intentionality, acceptability, informality, situationality, and intertextuality.”

One element that I want to focus on specifically is intentionality. The article states that in order for an element to be considered text, there needs to be intent behind it. Intent being an essential component doesn’t sit right with me. For example, the sleep talking example. The words being said are “unintentional” in the sense of the person not being in a conscious state.

However I wouldn’t go as far to say that the content should be disregarded for that reason. The content still may have purpose beyond a simple understanding.

One aspect that I don’t like that their definition only focuses on successful texts. Arguments with “poor quality” should still be taken into account when defining text.

Ali Darwish on Text (2008)

Darwish goes on to reframe Beaugrande and Dressler’s definition of text. Darwish reframes the definitions into six layers: “textual, contextual, cultural, temporal, intentionality, and intertextuality.”

Adding the concept of layers seems essential to me. Varying degrees of understanding and connectivity are inevitable from reader to reader. Layers that can mold based on the degree to which the texts resonates with the reader is an important aspect to consider.

What I took away from that is that the same text can mean two completely different things to me and you. This piece did not resonate well with me, but it might have been life changing to you.