One of the main issues in the definition of audiovisual text, and even ‘text’ plain and simple, is whether the presence of linguistic constituents is an absolute must. Can we still speak of text (and translation) if there are no words involved? And if words are an essential component, are they the only component? If they are not the only component, what is the minimum proportion of verbal elements that is required? In this article, the author discusses the nature and characteristics of audiovisual text. [Source: A. Matthyssen]