Con·text
Pronunciation: \ˈkän-ˌtekst\
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, weaving together of words, from Latin contextus connection of words, coherence, from contexere to weave together, from com- + texere to weave.
1. the parts of a discourse that surround a word or passage and can throw light on its meaning
2. the interrelated conditions in which something exists or occurs
Context is a fundamental concept in both the understanding and functionality of communication. The significance of context in written and spoken language cannot be overestimated. Without context, the intentions of language can be easily lost or confused. Overhearing the statement “she is a such fat pig” could lead one to believe the speaker is either hateful or hilarious depending on your sense of humor. However, when qualified with another sentence: “I can see why she won the blue ribbon,” everything changes. Alternately, to avoid the appearance of obscenity the phrase “that is biggest cock I have ever seen” should be qualified with, “I can see why it is was singled out as the world’s largest rooster by the people at Guinness.”
Beyond the barnyard, context affects personal relationships, work, newscasts, music, and nearly every other aspect of our lives. Without context, do our statements have any meaning?
