I brainstormed words that relate to text and put them into this Wordle. The words that resonated most closely to what text means to me are the biggest. It’s interesting that the size and shape of the text itself, as well as the way that it is presented, can influence the meaning.
Text is a form of communication that carries meaning. We interpret the meaning based on our culture and our individual perceptions. Text carries meaning but the carrier itself – the structure and order of the symbols – shapes the meaning. The structure of the text itself influences meaning. When I look at a piece of writing, I can tell from the format and vocabulary who the audience is intended to be and what the purpose of the work is. For example, a journal article is structured differently than an essay and a children’s book uses different vocabulary than an car instruction manual. The structure of the work carries its own meaning.
