epitext

English

Etymology

By surface analysis, epi- +‎ text.

Noun

epitext (plural epitexts)

1. Textual material which surrounds a work but is not part of the text or its peritext, including published interviews, private correspondence, diary entries and the like.

   Coordinate terms: peritext, context, paratext, subtext

   • 1991, Gérard Genette, “Introduction to the Paratext”, in New Literary History, volume 22, number 2, page 264:

     It is the second category which I christen, for want of a better word, epitext and which will be the subject of the last two chapters.

   • 2013, Ellen McCracken, “Expanding Genette's Epitext/Peritext Model for Transitional Electronic Literature: Centrifugal and Centripetal Vectors on Kindles and iPads”, in Narrative, volume 21, number 1, page 106:

     The concepts of “epitext” and “peritext” continue to be useful for the analysis of digital literature on portable electronic devices but need expansion as categories.

   • 2016, Melissa Gross, Don Latham, Jennifer Underhill, Hyerin Bak, “The Peritext Book Club: Reading to Foster Critical Thinking about STEAM Texts”, in School Library Research, volume 19, page 2:

     The concept of paratext was defined by Gérard Genette as common elements provided within a book (peritext) and elements outside of the book that refer to it (epitext); these elements can affect individual, as well as cultural, perceptions of a text (1997, 4–5).

Derived terms

• epitextual (adjective)