The Structure of Text Contents

Abstract

The present article is based on the hypothesis that text contents are a psychic phenomenon produced by the interaction of information texts potentially contain with the information text Recipients already have. Language signs as a system carry information that is static and refers only to language constructs of several logical ranks: Names (N), Predicates (P), Propositions with N(P) structure where names are ascribed some qualities and which may turn into model sentences with N-P Grammar structure. In texts, model sentences interacting with the Recipient background knowledge turn into utterances carrying dynamic and concrete information and verbally simulate segments of non-lingual reality (facts, events, objects, etc.). Elementary verbal simulations have N(Pemst) information structure that includes the name (N) chosen by the text Sender for some segment of non-lingual reality that, according to the text Sender, presumably exists (e) in certain time and space parameters (s, t), is evaluated, from the point of view of the text Sender, as real, unreal, desirable, etc., the modal parameter (m), and is ascribed some qualities (P). These simulations may be viewed as Elementary content entities that serve as construction material for content entities of higher logical ranks — Compound and Complex content entities. Their N(Pemst) information structure does not depend on any particular language in which utterances are presented, and they may be viewed as elements of a universal ‘mind grammar’ of human thinking that is used in structuring text contents irrespective of a language in which texts are created, and, consequently, can be considered the text content invariant. The structural elements of text contents may be of direct interest to translation scholars. Whereas translation theories today are generally based on establishing multi-level inter-language correspondences, text content entities and their structural elements may be viewed as translation units, and the idea of opposing communicative information of text content entities to language meanings that verbally simulate them may serve the basis for creating a different translation theory, with much greater explanatory force.