Jean-Michel Adam's "Les textes: types et prototypes" (1992) revolutionized textual linguistics by replacing rigid text classification with a model based on flexible "sequences". Adam defines five core prototypical sequences—narrative, descriptive, argumentative, explicative, and dialogal—which combine to form complex, heterogeneous texts. For a detailed overview of this foundational text, see the summary available at Archive.org . Les Textes : types et prototypes | Cairn.info
❌ – The hierarchical model (proposition → sequence → text) is powerful but heavy for quick analysis. Some teachers revert to simpler typologies (narrative, descriptive, argumentative only). Jean Michel Adam Les Textes Types Et Prototypes.pdf
Adam’s genius was recognizing that texts are heterogeneous . His 1992 book, often sought as the , proposes a solution: the sequence . Jean-Michel Adam's "Les textes: types et prototypes" (1992)
Before Adam, text classification was often a messy affair. Scholars tried to categorize texts based on their form (is it a poem? a novel? a letter?) or their intent . But these categories were often too rigid. A novel can contain historical arguments; a scientific report can tell the story of an experiment. often sought as the
❌ – Critics (e.g., Bronckart, 1996) argue that dialogue is a genre (conversation, interview), not a text type. Adam’s later revisions merged “dialogal” into other categories.
Adam's research on text types and prototypes is grounded in a multidisciplinary approach, drawing on linguistics, pragmatics, and cognitive science. He integrates insights from various theoretical frameworks, including:
Given the popularity of the search for a free , it is important to guide users ethically. The book is published by Armand Colin (part of the Cursus series). You can typically find it: