Text linguistics as an independent scientific discipline was born at the turn of 60-70 of the XX century. At the time of the birth of text linguistics scientists did not aim at global reorientation of the traditional linguistics. Particular advancesof text linguistics were made in 1970-1980s by such researchers as. I.R. Galperin [Galperin, 1981] O.I. Moskalskaya [Moskalskaya 1981], R. Bogrand and W. Dressler [Beaugrande 1981] T.A. Van Dijk [Dijk, 1977].
Three most common definitions of the term "text" should be considered.
Firstly, in the narrow linguistic sense text is defined as the highest level in the language system, along with linguistic units such as phonemes, morphemes, words, phrases, sentences, super-phrasal unities maсro-syntax, paragraphs, etc. Text linguistics in this case, was developed as a "grammar of text", "text syntax."
Secondly, the text is an independent higher communicative unit, it is subject to the implementation of certain communicative goal, becoming one of the first signs of a shift from a system-structural paradigm to its communicative function. As the most important category of linguistic stylistics the concept of "systematic speech" is put forward. The basic principle of functional and stylistic theory dwells on the fact that the text (speech) is studied inseparably from the sphere of communication.
Thirdly, the text is a unit of communication that reflects the purpose of the participants of communication - the sender and the recipient, having relative semantic completeness. However, the text could not be regarded as an independent higher communicative unit. It is an important element of the communicative system, but it is not the only one, it exists in the discourse system, i.e. around and above the extralinguistic background, cognitive and discursive analysis.
Formation and development of text linguistics (the latter opposition "text - discourse") has become the focus of increased interest of researchers dealing with human communication and speech. Thus, in a complex information structure of the text systemic, cognitive, communicative and situational pragmatic components overlap and display multilateral communication links.