tekstkundig

Tekstkundig is an adjective used in Dutch to describe scholarly study and analysis of texts, focusing on the form, language, and transmission of a document rather than merely its content. It is closely related to textual criticism and philology; in practice, it aims to establish a reliable, scholarly edition of a text by examining original wording and manuscript evidence.

The field covers various domains, including literature, religion, history, and linguistics. It deals with manuscripts, early printed editions, inscriptions, and other textual witnesses, and is concerned with dating, authorship, and scribal practices. Tekstkundig work often involves forming a critical apparatus, noting variant readings, and reconstructing an intended original text.

Methods include collation of manuscripts, paleography, codicology, linguistic analysis, and the use of stemmatic or other textual-critical methods. Digital tools and digital editions have expanded practice, enabling searchable corpora and online apparatus. The goal is to produce reliable critical editions and to understand how texts were transmitted and transformed over time.

The term is occasionally used interchangeably with tekstkritiek (textual criticism) and philology, though practical usage may vary by discipline. Examples of use include tekstkundig onderzoek of medieval manuscripts or a tekstkundig kritische editie of a classical author.