Textual Typology: A Study of Textual Beginnings

This paper describes an experiment that studied differences in text processing when reading different types of texts. Eight texts were used: five novels (examples of realist, thriller, fantastic, stream of consciousness and experimental narrative respectively) and three essays (history, philosophy and music). The experiment examined the interruptions in the act of reading the beginnings of the eight texts, with the assumption that interruptions in the linearity of the act of reading may signal a change in cognitive operations of text processing. The subjects were asked to read one of the eight texts, recording their reading pauses and later to specify the reasons for their pause marks. Finally they were given an appreciation question. The test was not disruptive, since the only operation the subjects had to perform while reading consisted in making a few marks on the pages. Results give information on pause distribution, pause regularity and text appreciation in relation to the different texts. The test also shows changes in readers’ behaviour while reading different parts of the same text.