Text linguistics as a science

Text linguistics as a science

Any linguistic research, in which the author investigates a text (in its oral or written form) as a unit of human communication, or which analyzes phenomena beyond the limits of a sentence to an extent when text fragments may be viewed as independent language units, is considered as one belonging to TL. In contemporary linguistic research “text” is viewed as an independent aspect of linguistic analysis.

But not so long before (in 1986) A.T. Kryvonosov in his article “TL and the Study of Correlation of Language and Thinking” expresses his views on TL as “just another stage of linguistic delusion (fallacy, error)” [Kryvonosov]. Yet, scientific interest to the study of a text is constantly increasing.

TL as an independent linguistic discipline appeared in the 60-70-ies of the 20-th century due to internal (linguistic) and external (extralinguistic) factors.

It was impossible to explain some language phenomena with the help of traditional system of concepts, that was oriented exclusively on the analysis of a sentence. First of all this refers to such well-known linguistic phenomena as pronominalization in all its forms, the usage of an article, interpretation of temporal relations etc. (one of the internal causes). It is not by chance that the majority of investigations in TL reflects these problems of Grammar.

Of great importance for the emergence of TL was external influence of other scientific disciplines: literary studies, psychology, sociology, theory of translation, methodology of teaching, native and foreign language. As Olga Ivanivna Moska’l’ka puts it : “under the circumstances, a speech fragment (i.e. a text) became the centre in which all approaches to language converge. A text became both the material for linguistic research and the subject of TL.