Being specific when you use the word “context”.
In How to Get a 2:1 in Media Communication and Cultural Studies, Noel Williams writes:
“Context” is one of those words you will encounter again and again, without anyone offering anything like a useful definition. It is something of a catch-all word usually used to mean “all those things in the situation which are relevant to meaning in some sense, but which I haven’t identified.”"
He goes on to say that context is typically used to refer to one or more of the following:
-“the cotext (i.e. other words used recently, and the kind of language in use, such as questions or answers, or greeting, or insult);.
-the physical situation (time, place, speaker, setting, etc);
-the knowledge and beliefs of the participants in the communication (such as, whether one person thinks the other is lacking in knowledge, or when both participants think they are working towards an agreement );
-the historical circumstances leading up to the communication"
Being specific when you use the word “context”.
Moderators: Dimitris, maneki neko2, Lorikeet, Enrico Palazzo, superpeach, cecil2, Mr. Kalgukshi2
Do I need to have a beef?lolwhites wrote:Noel Williams seems to offer a pretty reasonable definition of context to me. It's certainly (inevitably?) true that it can mean lots of things but you can say that for lots of words. Does anyone ever ask Greenpeace what they mean by "environment"?
Not sure what your beef is here, Metal.
Universe
Hey all!
Does anyone besides me mark a difference between context (in written language) and Universe of Discourse (sp) (in spoken language)? Naturally, context is a short-cut when in class, everyone seems to know what a context is and such linguistic terms as U of D seem to be like using that darn international phonetic alphabet to note pronunciation. Just wondering.
peace,
revel.
Does anyone besides me mark a difference between context (in written language) and Universe of Discourse (sp) (in spoken language)? Naturally, context is a short-cut when in class, everyone seems to know what a context is and such linguistic terms as U of D seem to be like using that darn international phonetic alphabet to note pronunciation. Just wondering.
peace,
revel.
Re: Universe
Do you the "U of D" term with your class?revel wrote:Hey all!
Does anyone besides me mark a difference between context (in written language) and Universe of Discourse (sp) (in spoken language)? Naturally, context is a short-cut when in class, everyone seems to know what a context is and such linguistic terms as U of D seem to be like using that darn international phonetic alphabet to note pronunciation. Just wondering.
peace,
revel.
Yes and no
Hey all!
Yes and no. I introduce the term, mostly because I am always trying to stress the difference between written English and spoken English, but in the end, when a quick comment is needed, I usually use the word "context". I personally don't think it matters too much, I'm not giving classes in Applied Linguistics but rather in communication and, very importantly, comprehension. Just yesterday I asked Saul (8 years old, 4 years of ESL) "Can you help me with the tables?" (meaning put the tables in their places) and he didn't understand. I explained that he needed to look at where we were and what we usually do at the beginning of class (put the tables in their places). He knows "Can you" and he knows "tables", I said "Put those two items in context, if we were in a supermarket I wouldn't be asking you about tables. The rest of the sentences is straw filling. And if you haven't understood me correctly, I'll tell you. Trust the context." With this boy I wouldn't have said U of D at all, context is a difficult enough concept for him. That must answer your question, metal. Cheers.
peace,
revel.
Yes and no. I introduce the term, mostly because I am always trying to stress the difference between written English and spoken English, but in the end, when a quick comment is needed, I usually use the word "context". I personally don't think it matters too much, I'm not giving classes in Applied Linguistics but rather in communication and, very importantly, comprehension. Just yesterday I asked Saul (8 years old, 4 years of ESL) "Can you help me with the tables?" (meaning put the tables in their places) and he didn't understand. I explained that he needed to look at where we were and what we usually do at the beginning of class (put the tables in their places). He knows "Can you" and he knows "tables", I said "Put those two items in context, if we were in a supermarket I wouldn't be asking you about tables. The rest of the sentences is straw filling. And if you haven't understood me correctly, I'll tell you. Trust the context." With this boy I wouldn't have said U of D at all, context is a difficult enough concept for him. That must answer your question, metal. Cheers.
peace,
revel.
Re: Yes and no
It answers it very well, thanks. Just one point...why not use the word "situation" instead of "context? I'm sure he'll come across that word much more than he will "context".revel wrote:Hey all!
Yes and no. I introduce the term, mostly because I am always trying to stress the difference between written English and spoken English, but in the end, when a quick comment is needed, I usually use the word "context". I personally don't think it matters too much, I'm not giving classes in Applied Linguistics but rather in communication and, very importantly, comprehension. Just yesterday I asked Saul (8 years old, 4 years of ESL) "Can you help me with the tables?" (meaning put the tables in their places) and he didn't understand. I explained that he needed to look at where we were and what we usually do at the beginning of class (put the tables in their places). He knows "Can you" and he knows "tables", I said "Put those two items in context, if we were in a supermarket I wouldn't be asking you about tables. The rest of the sentences is straw filling. And if you haven't understood me correctly, I'll tell you. Trust the context." With this boy I wouldn't have said U of D at all, context is a difficult enough concept for him. That must answer your question, metal. Cheers.
peace,
revel.
Telepathy?
Hey metal (and everyone else).
What a co-incidence! As I was driving to work this morning, it occured to me that "situation" would be an easier word to use than "context" for those little ones who haven't learned the concept under that term.
peace,
revel.
What a co-incidence! As I was driving to work this morning, it occured to me that "situation" would be an easier word to use than "context" for those little ones who haven't learned the concept under that term.
peace,
revel.
Re: Telepathy?
revel wrote:Hey metal (and everyone else).
What a co-incidence! As I was driving to work this morning, it occured to me that "situation" would be an easier word to use than "context" for those little ones who haven't learned the concept under that term.
peace,
revel.
)