1 Text Construction with Text Description Languages

Subject:

Eng/Ang: Mag. / Sek II, Ling (GS)

Contents:

In this seminar, a topic which might be called `Applied Text Linguistics', or `Text Technology' will be addressed. We will start by looking at theories of text types and registers, and at linguistic models for these, and on this basis we will discuss the application of these theoretical and descriptive notions in designing and constructing texts using text description languages such as those used in some areas of scientific and multimedia publishing. Examples of such languages are `TeX' and `LaTeX', which are commonly used in formatting scientific texts, and HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language), which is the main text description language used in online publishing on the Internet. For some local examples of Internet applications, see the HyprLex environment.

Methods and applications:

In addition to the linguistic aims of the class, participants will produce texts in LaTeX and/or HTML with techniques of online publishing in mind.

This is a fairly innovative topic, and participants are invited to investigate for themselves possible sources of information in the form of linguistic studies for the theoretical background, and in the form of textbooks, handbooks, and the like, for the text description languages.

Active participation with reports and practical work is expected of all participants. Qualifications may be obtained by means of a written term paper discussing a text in a text description language, and its design.