Constructing texts

Question 1

Context

Answer 1

The context of a text can be thought of in two distinct ways: the cultural context an the situational context.

The cultural context of a text relates to the attitudes, values and beliefs of the author as well as their audience. These cultural factors shape the way a text is delivered.

The situational context of a text refers to everything outside of the text that works to shape the language that is being used. This includes the field, tenor, language mode, setting and text type.

Question 2

Audience

Answer 2

The audience is the intended set of listeners or readers.

Question 3

Authorial Intent

Answer 3

Authorial intent is what the author aims to do or achieve with a text. Very closely linked to the function of a text, authorial intent influences the language that is used in a text as well as its level of preparedness.

Question 4

Register

Answer 4

Register describes the way in which an addresser intentionally alters their language to better suit the situation. It can involve all features of a language and levels of formality. There are degrees of formality, from very informal to very formal, and multiple registers and aspects of registers can be merged to achieve a particular communicative purpose. Consider the example above about the medical register.