Textarten

Textarten, or text types or genres, are categories used to classify texts by their communicative purpose and typical structure. In German linguistics and education, they help learners understand how texts are organized and how to produce texts that fit a given situation.

Common textarten in many German curricula include Erzähltext (narrative), which presents a storyline with characters and events; Beschreibender Text (descriptive), which focuses on sensory or spatial details; Informations- oder Berichterstattungstext (informative/reporting text), which conveys facts about real topics and processes; Erörterung (argumentation), which presents a thesis with reasons and evidence; and Anleitung (instruction) or Gebrauchsanweisung (manual), which lists steps to perform a task. Some curricula also include Kommentar (commentary), Rezension (review), or Stellungnahme (position paper) as additional varieties.

Linguistic and structural features vary by type. Narratives typically use a plot and past tense with temporal connectors; descriptions rely on adjectives and spatial or sensory cues; informative texts emphasize neutral language, factual details, and clear sequencing; argumentative texts foreground a claim and argumentative connectors; instructional texts employ imperatives and a sequence of steps.

In education, textarten are used to teach reading strategies and writing skills. Text analysis focuses on the purpose, audience, structure, and language features, while production tasks require adherence to genre conventions, coherence, and appropriate style for the intended readers.

The concept and terminology of textarten can vary by school level and country, but the basic idea remains: categorizing texts according to their communicative aim to facilitate understanding and production.