Broadly:
* Any form of written communication: This could include books, articles, emails, letters, social media posts, even graffiti on a wall. The key is that it's something written down or displayed visually, intended to convey information or meaning.
* The content of a written document: This is often used in a more technical sense, focusing on the actual words, sentences, and paragraphs within a piece of writing, rather than the physical form.
More specifically:
* Literary texts: These refer to written works of art, such as poems, novels, plays, and essays, often studied for their literary merit.
* Digital text: This refers to any text that exists in digital format, such as documents, websites, emails, and social media posts.
* Spoken text: While technically not "written", spoken text can be transcribed and analyzed for its linguistic content. This is often done in areas like linguistics, speech recognition, and transcription.
Key elements that are usually included in the definition of "text":
* Written or visual representation: Text needs to be something that can be read or interpreted visually.
* Conveyance of meaning: Text is intended to communicate something, whether it's information, ideas, emotions, or instructions.
* Structured form: While there are variations, text usually follows certain conventions of language, grammar, and structure to ensure clarity and comprehension.
Ultimately, the specific definition of "text" depends on the context and the specific field you are working in.