The Principle of Coherence and its Impact on Text Readability

Abstract

This study aims to emphasize that the readability of texts -their ease of comprehension- is fundamentally linked to the principle of coherence, which itself depends on the text’s dialectical relationship with the reader. Indeed, "there is no inherently coherent or inherently incoherent text independent of the reader."

The study of coherence revolves around two fundamental components of the text: the concepts it conveys and the relationships that connect them, along with the cohesive links that bind them together. As noted, "concepts and relationships together form the semantic foundation of the text."

This semantic foundation is not a pre-established entity; rather, it is constructed by the reader through the act of understanding, which involves the interaction between the reader’s prior knowledge and the information presented in the text. As stated, "the text is read by the reader... and the reader is equal to the text in terms of productive capacity and cognitive requirements."

This implies that a certain degree of compatibility and coherence must exist between the concepts and themes presented -whether explicitly or implicitly- and the reader’s prior knowledge.