LFU:online

The students know different approaches to the optimization and comprehensibility of texts. They gained some insights into selected traditional and new applications. They have developed deeper knowledge of textual linguistics that can provide a foundation for their own writing and revising of texts in different contexts.

Written text is at the centre of most professions that are usually pursued by humanists. Graduates of German studies are expected to be good at writing texts and at revising suboptimal texts. However, the quality and the comprehensibility of a text is not measurable in absolute terms. There are different areas and forms of communication that go along with different criteria for the evaluation of texts.

The lecture provides a broad overview of backgrounds and applications that deal with the improvement of texts. To do so, we will repeat textlinguistic foundations and delve deeper into texlinguistic theories. The aim is to connect academic findings and practical experiences concerning the quality and comprehensibility of texts.

The following topics are addressed:

• Linguistic layers of text optimization: lexis, structure, coherence etc.
• Research on text comprehensibility
• Norms of textual quality (also covering historic conceptions)
• Working as an editor at a publishing company
• Applied topics: administrative language, technical communication, language of (popular) science, language of the media and advertising, text correction and evaluation at school, medical communication, linguistic inclusion, human-computer interaction.

Lecture, exercises, discussions

Written exam

Karlfried Knapp et al. (Hrsg.): Angewandte Lingustik. Ein Lehrbuch. 3rd edition 2011. Tübingen: Francke. UTB 8275.

Prerequisites for the MA Programmes German and Media Studies: none.

Prerequisites for Teacher Training Programme German: completed 1st diploma examination (German Linguistics)

Recommend for 1st semester MA German Philology, for 5th - 8th semester Teacher Training Programme German and the MA Programme Media Studies

Due to substantial differences in the allocation of ECTS-Credits in various curricula (teacher training program German/specialized degree program German), the requirements for this course vary. Information will be provided by the instructor at the beginning of the course.