Textuality - Definition and Discussion

In linguistics  and literary studies, the property by which successive sentences form a coherent text in contrast to a random sequence. Textuality is a key concept in post-structuralist theory. In their study Translation as Text (1992), A.  Neubert and G.M. Shreve define textuality as the complex set of features that texts must have to be considered texts. Textuality is a property that a complex linguistic object assumes when it reflects certain social and communicative constraints. Observations The Domains of Texture, Structure, and ContextThe three basic domains of textuality . . . are texture, structure, and context. The term texture covers the various devices used in establishing continuity of sense and thus making a sequence of sentences operational (i.e. both cohesive and coherent). . . .Another source from which texts derive their cohesion and acquire the necessary coherence is structure. This assists us in our attempt to perceive specific compositional plans in what otherwise would only be a disconnected sequence of sentences. Structure and texture thus work together, with the former providing the outline, and the latter fleshing out the details. . . .In dealing with structure and texture, we rely on higher-order contextual factors which determine the way a given sequence of sentences serves a specific rhetorical purpose such as arguing or narrating (i.e. becomes what we have called text).(Basil Hatim and Ian Mason, The Translator as Communicator. Routledge, 1997)Wha t Is a Text?There are various senses in which a piece of writing may be said to be a text. The word text itself is the past participle stem of the Latin verb texere, to weave, intertwine, plait, or (of writing) compose. The English words textile and texture also derive from the same Latin word. This etymology of the word text is apparent in expressions that refer to the weaving of a story, the thread of an argument, or the texture of a piece of writing. A text may thus be taken to be a weaving or a network of analytic, conceptual, logical, and theoretical relations that is woven with the threads of language. This implies that language is not a transparent medium through which arguments are expressed, . . . but is interwoven with or provides the very filaments of the substantive arguments themselves.(Vivienne Brown, Textuality and the History of Economics. A Companion to the History of Economic Thought, ed. by W. J. Samuels et al. Blackwell, 2003)Texts, Textuality, and TextureThe pro per business of literary criticism is the description of readings. Readings consist of the interaction of texts and humans. Humans are comprised of minds, bodies and shared experiences. Texts are the objects produced by people drawing on these resources. Textuality is the outcome of the workings of shared cognitive mechanics, evident in texts and readings. Texture is the experienced quality of textuality.(Peter Stockwell,  Texture: A Cognitive Aesthetics of Reading. Edinburgh University Press,  2009)Textuality and TeachingAs I see it, textuality has two aspects. One is the broadening of the objects we study and teach to include all the media and modes of expression. . . . Expanding the range of texts is one aspect of studies in textuality. The other . . . has to do with changing the way we look at texts to combine the perspectives of creator and consumer, writer and reader. Both of these aspects of textuality have to do with helping students open their minds and expand their vis ion of how texts work and what they do. The larger goal of textuality is the opening of a wider world of culture for students . . ..The study of textuality involves looking at works that function powerfully in our world, and considering both what they mean and how they mean.(Robert Scholes,  English After the Fall: From Literature to Textuality. University of Iowa Press, 2011)  Ã‚   Also Known As: texture

Black Music and the Civil Rights Movement Essay - 3856 Words

On July 5, 1954, forty-nine days after the Supreme Court handed down the decision on the Brown vs. Board of Education case, a nineteen year old truck driver recorded an Arthur Crudup blues track called â€Å"That’s All Right Mama† (Bertrand 46). Memphis disc jockey Dewey Phillips found the cut and played it on his radio show a few weeks later. He received calls all over from people, mostly white, who wanted to hear more. He quickly located the musician and brought him into the studio for an interview, audiences were shocked to learn that Elvis was white (Bertrand 46). Elvis’s music brought black music into white mainstream pop culture almost overnight. The breakthrough of Elvis happening almost simultaneously with the dawn of†¦show more content†¦In the Puritan world white represented good and black represented evil, including Africans and their culture. After the War Baldwin states that the former puritanical views of whites will be challenged. Mu sicians such as Elvis Presley were the first to issue this challenge to white society. Early rockers such as Elvis would pave the way for social commentary in music that would add much fire to the Civil Rights Movement. In order to fully understand the explosion in popularity of black music in the years following World War II, one must understand the social conditions in which blacks and whites lived in the American South. An article entitled â€Å"Not Just the Same Old Show on my Radio† delves into the very issues behind racism. The article names aspects necessary for social segregation to exist: 1.) There must be a stigmatism of the oppressed group. 2.) There must be some sort of â€Å"labeled interaction† between groups. 3.) There must be a hierarchy of discrimination. (Kloosterman, Quispel 152) In the case of the American South we see evidence of the Baldwin’s â€Å"Puritan dicta† in each of theses points. Obviously the stigmatism of the African race gathers its logic from the belief of African inferiority. However, of importance at this time will be the second criterion referring to â€Å"labeled interaction† between races. The â€Å"labeled interaction† that these authors are referring to of course represents the South’sShow MoreRelatedEssay Music Influence on the Civil Rights Movement1037 Words   |  5 PagesWorrall Mrs. Stepp 3rd Period 12/11/13 Question: How did music influence/effect the Civil Rights Movement? i. During the Civil Rights era, African Americans changed the way people looked at music by ending the segregation in the music world and by making a well-known â€Å"soundtrack† and influence during the Civil Rights Movement. ii. Topic Sentence: While music was an impact on the Civil Rights Movement, Motown Records is what gave Blacks the confidence to succeed in the only voice they had. aRead MoreThe Folk Music Of The Civil Rights Movement1208 Words   |  5 PagesResponse Paper #4 The folk music of the Civil Rights Movement â€Å"came out of tradition, common experience, and generations of resistance† (Dunaway 2010: 140). The songs used throughout the movement derived from the shared experiences and struggles of African Americans while connecting â€Å"the gentle, idealistic world of folk music and the integrationist world of civil rights† (Dunaway 2010: 145). Songs, such as â€Å"We Shall Overcome†, were put through the folk process, where a song is passed on and alterationsRead MoreWho Is Nina Simone?1444 Words   |  6 Pageshowever, is the ability of its participants to share their personal experiences to audiences than can both empathize and relate to the realities these artists present. 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In addition to their efforts, jazz and bluesRead MoreShould America Have Been America Without Her Negro People?1426 Words   |  6 PagesSatya sree Vedula Hist 115 Dr. N Creary No Black, No America Prompt: Would America have been America without her Negro people? America is a diverse country that accommodates a variety of people from various ethnic backgrounds. African Americans are one of a kind who are inhabiting the United States since a long time.The question â€Å"Would America have been America without her Negro people?† by W.E.B.Dubois is a strenuous one and has arisen many debates in the past. People say that the answer toRead MoreSoul Music, Or Soul?1237 Words   |  5 Pages Soul music, or â€Å"Soul†,was adopted to describe African-American popular music as it evolved from the 1950s to the early 1970s. Although some people thought of â€Å"Soul† music as a new term for Rhythm and Blues, it was not. In fact, the â€Å"key ingredient in Soul music, and the element that defined it as a new style was the influence of gospel music.† (1)This style of music was a blend gospel music with the dance grooves of that era. However, Soul music during its heyday did more than simply entertain.Read MoreThe Impacts Of B ob Dylan And The Civil Rights Movement939 Words   |  4 PagesThe 1960s were a time of great protest, public opinion, freedom for music, invention, and racism. In America in 1960 the Civil Rights Movement was underway and the Vietnam War had already been going on for 5 years, where approximately 900 American troops were already serving. The 1960s produced some of the greatest musical artists seen in history, and one in particular was Bob Dylan. Bob Dylan is thought to be one of the greatest influence on popular culture in all time, and is one of the main and

Conflicting Principles of Life in William Faulkner’s “Barn Burning” Free Essays

William Faulkner’s â€Å"Barn Burning† presents the conflict between two forms of justice: (1) justice based on kinship and (2) justice based on human dignity. The conflict between these two forms of justice was presented within the text through Sarty’s perspective of Ab’s actions who sought to achieve ‘freedom’ from his previous agreements by defiling the rights of other individuals. Set after the period of the Civil War, the text presents Sarty’s conflicts as he tried to understand his father’s motivations for the actions that have led his family to further hardships in life. We will write a custom essay sample on Conflicting Principles of Life in William Faulkner’s â€Å"Barn Burning† or any similar topic only for you Order Now It is important to note that Ab, Sarty’s father, has a led a life geared towards self-fulfillment as his actions throughout his life have been motivated by his desire to attain material wealth. Note for example that even if Ab was considered as a ‘soldier’ in the ‘fine, old, European sense,’ of the term, his motivations for choosing to join in the battle was neither to save the South from the Northern invasion nor to protect his region’s views regarding slavery (Faulkner 1743). This is apparent if one considers that as Ab and Sarty reached the De Spain mansion, Ab ironically tells his son, â€Å"Pretty and white, ain’t it†¦. That’s Nigger sweat. Maybe it ain’t white enough yet to suit him. Maybe he wants to mix some white sweat with it† (Faulkner 1737). This statement was neither motivated by Ab’s disgust for slavery nor by his disgust in the African American’s position in life. His statement was motivated by his sense of outrage against the wealth and power symbolized by the plantation. His outrage statement was thereby meant to be a bitter view against the wealth and power that he could not achieve in life. The conflict, within the text, thereby arises as a result of Sarty’s inability to understand his father’s motivations and reasons for his actions. As was mentioned above, his father chose to defile another individual’s rights in order to free himself from his obligations. This is apparent as his father burned the barn of the man who has slighted him. Sarty recognizes the harm that was inflicted upon his father however he does not consider this a sufficient reason to defile the right of another individual. As a result of this, he was placed in a position where he will either amend the harm inflicted on the other individual in order to protect his father and thereby maintain his loyalty to his family or he will refuse knowledge of his father’s actions thereby allowing his father’s misdeed but enabling justice for the other individual. The conflict is thereby defined by the necessity to choose, on Sarty’s part, what he considers to be ‘the right’ decision within the text. How to cite Conflicting Principles of Life in William Faulkner’s â€Å"Barn Burning†, Essays

Nothings Changed and 2 scavengers Essay Example For Students

Nothings Changed and 2 scavengers Essay This is a very upsetting poem and made me think about how we as a nation treat people from different racial backgrounds. I think this country has a very good approach to racism and trys to be a accepting environment for everyone, no matter of race, shape or size. Two Scavengers in a Truck, Two Beautiful People in a Mercedes is about how America is meant to be a democracy, but is not. The writer compares a garbage truck worker to a beautiful couple in a Mercedes. The first verse is describing; the garbage men, how they look, the time and place. It says that the garbage men are wearing red plastic blazers this is a cheap and not very nice way of dressing and distinguishes them apart from everyone else and diminishes them. It also says looking down on into this is not meant to be a good thing as it shows that the garbage men are high up and the desired level is in a sporty car close to the ground. The second verse goes into detail about how the elegant couple look. The writer describes the man in a hip three piece linen suit this tells us that the couple are richer then the garbage men as there is a direct comparison between the red plastic blazers and hip linen suit. The author writes the young blond this is showing a sign of wealth because only the rich could afford to die their hair blond. Also he says they are on the way to his architects office this shows wealth. Not many people have personal architects and a poor person could not afford to hire and architect. The third says how one of the bin men is old and has grey hair and the other is the same age as the man driving the Mercedes. The older man was described by saying he looks like gargoyle Quasimodo this means he is hunched back and look old and hard done by. The younger one has many similarities with the Mercedes driver as the both have long hair and sunglasses, and are around the same age. The final verse says how the bin men were longing to be the people in the car and how if things were different they could be. Its also says, holding the four together if any thing was possible this is saying that anything could happen if only the bin men had had the same chances and opportunities. The poem was written to show how America is not a democracy. The young bin man could have had the same chances as the Mercedes driver so this is backing up the point that the country is not a democracy. Throughout the poem he compares what the rich couple have and what the poor bin men do not. If the country was a democracy and every thing was fair and everyone had the same chances, and obviously they didnt have the same chances. The theme through out is what some have and what others dont and this is shown by how the people have different possessions. Both poems show how writing a poem can express a message to all its readers and show how a good poet can use words to change peoples feeling about everything, and anything. In Nothings Changed the rhythm is very strong and the author repeats the word to create onomatopoeia, to a great effect. Although in Two Scavengers in a Truck, Two Beautiful People in a Mercedes the writer doesnt use rhythm or onomatopoeia, yet it still creates a great poem. Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Lawrence Ferlinghetti: Two Scavengers in a Truck, Two Beautiful People in a Mercedes section.