Humanistic, Informational and Opinion Texts: Features & Genres

Humanistic Texts

Humanistic texts refer to any disciplines related to human beings, their knowledge, and development (philosophy, history, literature, etc.).

Essay

The author addresses a theme and develops it subjectively with argumentative rigor, but without verifiable data provided by the sciences.

Morphosyntactic Features

• Evaluative adjectives

• Verbs in 3rd person singular. Impersonal tone and impartiality.

• Prevalence of the indicative mood; subjective judgments marked by the subjunctive.

• Plural of modesty (1st person plural).

• Gnomic expressions (express statements as universal truths) and the historical present.

• Long, periodic syntactic structures in the development of arguments.

Lexical-Semantic Features

• Abstract terms (refer to ideas and concepts).

• Use of connectors (provide coherence and cohesion).

• Technicalities

Informational Text

Purpose: To report clear and unbiased information about a current event of public interest. The most characteristic features are objectivity and clarity; they also influence other elements of the text.

• Middle-level lexicon consistent with the general public, although many technical terms may appear. Includes neologisms (new words) and barbarisms (pronounced or misspelled words, or inappropriate word use). Ex: airport (Airport), American (U.S.) ...

• Simple syntax: short, declarative sentences that avoid subordination to facilitate understanding.

• Impersonal style: objectivity prevails; personal markers are eliminated. Verbs are often used in the 3rd person, avoiding adjectives and evaluative expressions.

• Inverted pyramid structure: information is listed from most to least important.

Genres of Informational Text

Genres: news, interview, chronicle (mixed genre: personal value is added to information).

Opinion Texts

Objective: to inform and stimulate debate on topical issues. Opinion is characterized by subjectivity and formal care.

• Subjectivity: personal assessments. Verbs in the 1st and 2nd person, evaluative adjectives, etc.

• Argument: used to defend ideas.

• Formal care: ideas are expressed attractively. The following levels of language may be appreciated:

  • Learned vocabulary: cultured lexical items adjusted to the subject matter.

  • Complex syntax: subordination prevails to facilitate relationships between ideas.

  • Literary devices: metaphor, hyperbole, irony, etc.

Genres of Opinion Texts

Genres: editorial, opinion articles, columns, criticism, letters to the editor.