1 Language Variety Space

BASIC THESES:

1. There are many varieties of language, text, discourse.
2. These varieties are conditioned mainly by the functions of language in actual use.
3. Positions in variety space define a language variety with specific forms, and specific conventions of meaning and use.
4. Consequently, understanding and intelligent design of text and discourse, from conversation, through letters to hypertext, requires models of language functions as touchstones of quality.