What is a text?

There are several text definitions, none is generally accepted.

“A text is a communication tool that an author uses to communicates a fact to a reader. The author tries to control the consciousness of the reader by means of linguistic formulations in such a way that the reader understands what the author means.”

(Schnotz, W.(2006). Textverständnis, in: Rost, D.H. (Hrsg.), Handwörterbuch Pädagogische Psychologie.(3. Aufl.), Weinheim: Psychologie Verlags Union, p. 769-777, my translation)

A text can inform, explain, prompt, entertain or attempt to manipulate. Common to all texts is that everyone has the goal to communicate at least one statement. Statements always have two sides: content and style. An arbitrary string of letters (e.g. uihagnund) is not text.

What is a good text?

A good text is understandable, pleasant, interesting and stimulating.

We can “summarize our basic right to understandable, pleasant, interesting reading into three basic requirements … 1. Writer and speaker: Be brief! … 2. Grasp the matter – hit the target … 3. Love your reader as yourself! … What they [the readers] find pleasant, what inspires them: That counts.”

(Schneider, W. (1988). Deutsch für Kenner. Die neue Stilkunde. Hamburg: Gruner + Jahr, p. 40 u. 41, my translation)

A text is interesting if it offers the reader something new that is important to him. It is pleasant when the reader feels entertained. And it is inspiring when the reader is made to use his imagination.