From Text to Textonomies: Writing With Roland Barthes' "De l'Oeuvre à Texte," With or Without Quotation Marks
Johannah Rodgers

Change is always taking place in language, our conception of language and, consequently, of literary works which owe at least their phenomenal existence to language. These changes are clearly connected with changes in society and culture, and in the disciplinary structures, which being inflected and re-constituted by these changes, are at the same time used to study them. These include: linguistics, anthropology, economics, psychology, sociology, history, etc. (the term 'connection' is used here in the sense of connection as association, not determination.) The novelty that occurs to the idea of literary works comes not necessarily from the changes themselves in society, in culture, and in the disciplines, but rather from the ways in which the functions and relations of all of these operate. It is indeed as though the interdisciplinarity which is today held up as a prime value in research cannot be accomplished by the simple confrontation of specialist branches of knowledge. Interdisciplinarity is in many ways impossible; but it is happening and it is inevitable because it is part and parcel of the changes that are taking place in society and culture. Disciplines become historical objects for study and from an understanding of their formations, functions, and devolutions, we can evaluate the operations and 'costs' of interdisciplinarity in textual behaviors, none of which have a place in the field of the sciences that were brought together, this classificatory illness being precisely the point from which it is possible to diagnose a certain mutation in which the idea of the work and the idea of the text leave their traces: it is more of an epistemological slide than of a real break. The break, as is frequently stressed, is seen to have taken place in the last century with the appearance of networked information and communication systems; since then there has been no further break, so that in a way it can be said that for the next hundred years we will be living in repetition. What History, our History, allows us today is merely to slide, to vary, to exceed, to repudiate. Just as Chaos Theory demands that the behaviors of texts, not simply their functions, be studied, so the combinations of natural and artificial language processing demand, in literature, the relativization of the relations of writer, reader, and text. Moving from work to text to textonomy, methodologically tracing a path that can be compared to that from a Newtonian paradigm developed through a study of macroscopic objects to an Eisensteinian paradigm with its inclusion and consideration of microscopic objects to a Chaos Theory/Quantum Chaos paradigm with its focus on relations and behaviors, we find there is no longer an object of study, but only processes, functions, and behaviors: textonomies. I know the term has limitations and therefore regarded by some with suspicion, but that is exactly why I should like to remind myself of the principal propositions at the intersection of which I see these textual behaviors appearing and being constituted from.

From Text to Textonomies Johannah Rodgers

From Work to Text Roland Barthes

De l'oeuvre a texte Roland Barthes

 

Change is always taking place in language,

It is a fact that over the last few years a certain change has taken place (or is taking place)

C'est un fait que, depuis quelques années, un certain changement s'est opéré (ou s'opère)

our conception of language and, consequently, of literary works which

in our conception of language and, consequently, of the literary work which

dans l'idée que nous nous faisons du langage et, par voie de conséquence, de l'oeuvre (littéraire)

owe at least their phenomenal existence to language.  These changes are

owes at least its phenomenal existence to this same language. The change is

qui doit à ce même langage au moins son existence phénoménal.  Ce changement est

clearly connected with changes in society and culture, and in the disciplinary structures, which being inflected and re-constituted by these changes, are at the same time used to study them. 

clearly connected with the current development of (amongst other disciplines)

évidemment lié au développement actuel (entre autres disciplines) 

These include: linguistics, anthropology, economics, psychology, sociology, history, etc. (the term 'connection'

linguistics, anthropology, Marxism and psychoanalysis (the term 'connection'

de la linguistique, de l'anthropologie, du marxisme, de la psychanalyse (le mot « liaison »

is used here in the sense of connection as association, not determination.)

is used here in a deliberately neutral way: one does not decide a

est ici employé d'une façon volontairement neutre : on ne décide pas d'une

                                                               The novelty that occurs to   

determination, be it multiple and dialectical). What is new and which affects

détermination, fût-elle multiple et dialectique). La nouveauté qui a incidence sur

the idea of literary works comes not necessarily from the changes themselves in society, in culture, and in the disciplines,

the idea of the work comes not necessarily from the internal recasting of each

la notion d'oeuvre ne provient pas forcément du renouvellement intérieur de chacune

but rather from the ways in which the functions and relations of all of these operate.

of these disciplines, but rather from their encounter in relation to an object

de ces disciplines, mais plutôt de leur rencontre au niveau d'un objet

  It is indeed as though the

which traditionally is the province of none of them. It is indeed as though the

qui par tradition ne relève d'aucune d'elles.  On dirait en effet que

interdisciplinarity which is today held up as a prime value in research cannot be

interdisciplinarity which is today held up as a prime value in research cannot be

l'i_n_t_e_r_d_i_s_c_i_p_l_i_n_a_i_r_e_, dont on fait aujourd'hui une valeur forte de la recherche, ne peut

accomplished by the simple confrontation of specialist branches of knowledge.

accomplished by the simple confrontation of specialist branches of knowledge.

s'accomplir par la simple confrontation de savoirs spéciaux

Interdisciplinarity is in many ways impossible; but it is happening

Interdisciplinarity is not the calm of an easy security; it begins effectively (as

l'interdisciplinaire n'est pas de tout repos : il commence e_f_f_e_c_t_i_v_e_m_e_n_t_ _(et

and it is inevitable because it is part and parcel of the changes that are taking place in society and culture.

opposed to the mere expression of a pious wish) when the solidarity of the old

non par la simple émission d'un voeu pieux) lorsque la solidarité des anciennes

Disciplines become historical objects for study

disciplines breaks down -- perhaps even violently, via the jolts of fashion -- in

se défait, peut-être même violemment à travers les secousses de la mode, au

and from an understanding of their formations, functions, and devolutions, we can evaluate the operations and costs of interdisciplinarity in textual behaviors, none of which have a place

the interests of a new object and a new language neither of which has a place

profit d'n objet nouveau, d'un langage nouveau, qui ne sont ni l'un ni l'autre

in the field of the sciences that were brought together, this

in the field of the sciences that were to be brought peacefully together, this

dans le champ des sciences que l'on visait paisiblement à confronter ; c'est précisément ce

classificatory illness being precisely the point from which it is possible to

unease in classification being precisely the point from which it is possible to

malaise de classification qui permet de

diagnose a certain mutation in which the idea of the work

diagnose a certain mutation. The mutation in which the idea of the work seems

diagnostiquer une certaine mutation. La mutation qui semble saisir l'idée d'oeuvre

leaves its traces, as does the idea of the text: it is more

to be gripped must not, however, be over-estimated: it is more in the nature of

ne doit pas, cependant, être surévaluée ; elle participle

of an epistemological slide than of a real break.  The break, as is frequently stressed,

an epistemological slide than of a real break. The break, as is frequently stressed,

d'un glissement épistémologique, plus que d'une véritable coupure : celle-ci, comme on l'a dit souvent,

is seen to have taken place in the last century with the appearance of networked information and communication systems;

is seen to have taken place in the last century with the appearance of Marxism

serait intervenue au siècle dernier, à l'apparition du marxisme

since then there has been no further break, so that in a way

and Freudianism; since then there has been no further break, so that in a way

et du freudisme ; aucune coupure nouvelle ne se serait produite et

it can be said that for the next hundred years we will be living in repetition.

it can be said that for the last hundred years we have been living in repetition.

l'on peut dire que, d'une certaine manière, depuis cent ans, nous sommes dans la répétition.

What the History, our History, allows us today is merely to slide, to vary, to

What History, our History, allows us today is merely to slide, to vary, to

Ce que l'Histoire, notre Histoire, nous permet aujourd'hui, c'est seulement de glisser, de varier, de

Exceed, to repudiate.  Just as Chaos Theory demands that

exceed, to repudiate. Just as Einsteinian science demands that the relativity of

dépasser, de répudier. De même que la science einsteinienne oblige

the behaviors of texts, not simply its functions, be studied, so the combinations

the frames of reference be included in the object studied, so the combined 

à inclure dans l'objet étudié la r_e_l_a_t_i_v_i_t_é _d_e_s_ _r_e_p_èr_e_s_, de même l'action conjuguée

of natural and artificial language processing demand, in literature, the

action of Marxism, Freudianism and structuralism demands, in literature, the

du marxisme, du freudisme et du structuralisme oblige, en littérature, à

relativization of the relations of writer, reader, and text.

relativization of the relations of writer, reader and observer (critic). Over

relativiser les rapports du scripteur, du lecteur et de l'observateur (du critique). En face de

Moving from work to text to textonomy, methodologically tracing a path that can be compared to that from Newtonian (macroscopic objects) to Eisensteinian (microscopic objects) to Chaos Theory/Quantum Chaos (relations and behaviors),

against the traditional notion of the work, for long -- and still -- conceived of in

a, so to speak, Newtonian way, there is now the requirement of a new object,

l'o_e_u_v_r_e_ _– notion traditionnelle, conçue pendant longtemps, et aujourd'hui encore, d'une façon, si l'on peut dire, newtonienne –, il se produit l'exigence d'un objet nouveau,

we find there is no longer an object of study, but only processes, functions, and behaviors:

obtained by the sliding or overturning of former categories. That object is the

obtenu par glissement ou renversement des catégories antérieures. Cet objet est le

textonomies.  I know the term has limitations and

Text. I know the word is fashionable (I am myself often led to use it) and

T_e_x_t_e_. Je sais que ce mot est à la mode (moi-même, je suis entraîné à l'employer souvent), donc

therefore regarded by some with suspicion, but that is exactly why I

therefore regarded by some with suspicion, but that is exactly why I

donc suspects à certains ; mais c'est précisément pour cela que je

should like to remind myself of the principal propositions at the intersection of

should like to remind myself of the principal propositions at the intersection of

voudrais en quelque sorte me rappeler à moi-même les principales propositions à la croisée desquelles

which I see these textual behaviors appearing/being constituted from.

which I see the Text as standing.

le Texte se trouve à mes yeux ;