Non-literary text: what it is,

characteristics and classification of

texts
Contents [hide]
 1 What is a non-literary text?
 2 Characteristics of non-literary texts
o 2.1 Objective character of the texts
o 2.2 Use of language
o 2.3 Importance of content
o 2.4 Identified audience
 3 Classification of non-literary texts
o 3.1 Administrative text
o 3.2 Argumentative text
o 3.3 Scientific text
o 3.4 Descriptive text
o 3.5 Expository text
o 3.6 Historical text
o 3.7 Instructional text
o 3.8 Informative text
o 3.9 Normative text
o 3.10 Legal text
o 3.11 Technical text
o 3.12 Advertising text
o 3.13 Academic text
o 3.14 Humanistic text
o 3.15 Didactic text
o 3.16 Journalistic text

What is a non-literary text?

When we talk about non-literary texts, we are talking about a series
of texts whose main purpose is to transmit information, different
from literary texts, which are focused on an aesthetic and artistic
objective. In this way, we see that non-literary texts have to be
approached in the plane of objectivity and reality in order to achieve
their purpose.
The referential or informative function of this type of text allows it
to be constructed to address a specific audience and in this sense,
it must be adapted to it. That is why there is no room for ambiguity
or the use of rhetorical figures that contribute to particular
meanings, but everything must be connected to each other to guide
and fulfill its communicative function.

Characteristics of non-literary texts

It is time to look at some features shared by this type of texts that
allow us to distinguish them from other types of texts that have
been developed throughout history. Among their main
characteristics we find that they contain the following aspects:
Objective character of the texts
One of the central features of non-literary texts is the fundamental
objective character that must be included in their development,
since this prevents there from being room for a great possibility of
interpretations, but rather, they are oriented towards the same
meaning without leaving room for ambiguity or free understanding.

Use of language
The way in which non-literary texts use language allows the text to
be oriented to its objective of informing. That is why, in order to
avoid an interpretation different from the one proposed by the
author, the language lacks literary figures that can broaden the
interpretative horizon and therefore, we are left with a concrete
language that contains words and ideas that clearly express what is
intended to be said according to the specific modality of the text.
They must be texts that include coherence and cohesion.

Importance of content
Unlike literary texts that tend to focus on the form in which they are
written, non-literary texts pay more attention to the message they
are trying to expose. In this way, the importance falls on the
content, much more than on the form or poetic sense, although it is
not left to chance, but the information to be conveyed in an
accurate way is prioritized.

Identified audience
Although literary texts also identify a type of audience, the truth is
that in this case we are talking about very varied audiences and in
which there is no defined set of treatments to whom they are
addressed. On the other hand, non-literary texts have a specific
audience because in their task of informing they also meet the need
of those who must have access to it, and for this reason we speak
of other functional characteristics such as instruction or direction.

Classification of non-literary texts

Now we will see all the types and modalities of non-literary texts
that we can find, which, in turn, can also have another series of
factors that allow them to be classified in other types of texts
within the framework of the non-literary. Let us see what they are:

Administrative text
This is a type of text that gathers all those documents in which
unidirectional messages are developed and in which citizens and
specific administrations frequently communicate. They are mainly
characterized by the formalism they implement and the non-
response of a receiver, similar to a communiqué sent to a person or
a group of people.

Argumentative text
These are texts in which the purpose is to support a thesis or idea
that is presented from a detailed scheme of justifications or reasons
organized in a logical and coherent way. The main objective of
argumentative texts is to persuade the reader from the formulation
of an idea in which the content develops justifications that support
this thesis. It has a defined structure.

Scientific text
It consists of texts that include information directly related to
theories, concepts or topics based on scientific knowledge.
Scientific texts are characterized by the use of technical and
specialized language, which is why they are texts aimed at a
knowledgeable, specialized or interested audience that can
understand the information explained therein. Their content
includes elements such as data, descriptions of processes, results,
procedures, conclusions, among others.

Descriptive text
Descriptive texts are defined as all those that have ideas organized
in a coherent way and their totality responds to an integral sense.
This type of text offers characteristics, aspects or real information
in relation to a specific topic, whether it is a representation of the
appearance, the parts of an artifact, a person, a description of a
situation, an experience, a procedure, etc.

Expository text
In this category are those texts whose objective is to inform about
topics of general interest, which is why they are not texts aimed at
a specialized audience, but their general composition allows a wide
interest with a composition that facilitates the comprehension of
the information. This type of text generally provides knowledge
about different areas.

Historical text
These are texts that bring together documents and information
subsequent to an interpretation about a topic of the past in the
history of mankind. Thus, a historical text is understood as all
documents that are narrated chronologically and include summaries
of relevant facts following an objective line. Although they include
subjective comments based on interpretation, especially by
specialists, this participation is usually limited.

Instructional text
In this category are all texts that present a series of instructions or
indications for different processes, whether for the construction of
an artifact, the organization of an element, the performance of an
experiment or any other type of procedure in which a series of
concrete steps must be carried out in order to fulfill it. Thus, the
purpose of this text is to provide the reader with teaching
instructions.
Informative text
As its name indicates, the main purpose of informative text is to
offer a type of information to the reader. This information can often
be related to an event or situation that belongs to the past or
present. It is characterized because the way in which the text is
constructed implies a series of descriptions or real data, in addition
to a fully objective sense on the part of the author or issuer. This is
one of the types of text that involves aspects of other types of text
for its composition.
Normative text
Normative text is a type of document that includes rules or
instructions for the execution of a specific process, so that the
author resorts to the appellative function for its construction,
making sure to create an easily understandable text. It is possible
to find several formats of normative text, often related to issues of
human conduct, such as regulations, manuals, conditions of
participation, among others, although there are also follow-ups for
other processes.

Legal text
It gathers all those texts of a legal nature. In other words, they are
all those documents used in the legal framework. The main function
of the legal text is to provide knowledge about a specific event, fact
or situation, as well as to provide information regarding the rights
and duties of the person in a given case. This type of text is made
up of a relatively simple language to understand, although it may
include special terms in relation to the area of law in which it is
implemented.

Technical text
The technical text comprises all those texts that are based on a
precise discourse and that include determined processes or
methodologies for the performance of an activity. Their main
characteristic is that, since they are related to specific knowledge
about a given area, they include specialized terms related to it.
Technical text has topics that involve technological, industrial and
scientific knowledge.

Advertising text
It is a type of text that has the purpose of leading the reader to
perform a specific action. Since this type of text appears in the area
of marketing and advertising, they are texts that focus on guiding
the reader to make a decision regarding a specific process,
although they can also be found in other environments. They are
characterized by the use of resources that enrich the text and
reinforce the message they are trying to convey.
Academic text
Academic texts are those that are the result of research and
intellectual processes that are developed in an academic field, as
its name implies. That is why we will see this type of text in a
discipline in a formal way, following a rigorous structure of writing,
consultation of recognized sources and with the purpose of
disseminating knowledge from the communication of information
and the possibility of acquiring knowledge as well. It is written by a
student, academic professional or researcher in a specific area.

Humanistic text
It refers to all those texts that are developed on the field of
humanities, which implies the human being and its culture. In this
way, the humanistic text puts in dialogue different elements that
are part of the human being’s development sphere, dealing with
topics that may belong to the fields of philosophy, society,
anthropology, history, arts, culture, etc. They are characterized
because they have a formative intention in which a point of view is
developed based on authors and sources that the author has
previously consulted.

Didactic text
A didactic text is known as all those whose main intention is the
teaching of a specific topic, process or aspect. Although they can
also be developed in the academic field, they are not the product of
research in a compulsory way, but they use pedagogy in order to
use practical teaching methods to provide information and
knowledge about an element. They can have a much simpler
language than a humanistic text and cover a wider audience, such
as children.

Journalistic text
In this last category we find all those texts that are developed in
the area of social communication and journalism, in addition to
other professional sectors in which the intention of these texts is to
update the public to whom they are addressed. They are texts that
offer information of general interest, although they may vary in
terms of their level of specialization, subject or structure. That is
why we find several types of journalistic texts such as the opinion
column, the report, the review, the news and the chronicle.
And so we end our section on non-literary texts, one of the broadest
categories of text. We frequently come into contact with them,
which is why it is vitally important to distinguish and recognize
them. Remember that by accessing each of them you will be able to
find complete information to go deeper.
Author: typesofartstyles on May 13, 2021

SOURCE:
https://typesofartstyles.com/non-literary-text/