The context must influence the approach to an issue.
Context is a term that derives from the Latin word contextus and refers to everything that surrounds , either physically or symbolically, an event. From the context, therefore, a fact can be interpreted or understood .
This environment means that the context can be material ( "The criminal took advantage of the natural environment to hide behind the trees" ) or symbolic (the social environment, the economic environment or another).
The context is formed by a series of circumstances (such as time and physical space) that facilitate the understanding of a message. For example: a portal that publishes a title like "Carlos rested" does not provide the necessary data for the reader to decode the message. On the other hand, the headline "After playing four matches in two days, tennis player Carlos López rested and did not show up to train at the beginning of preparation for the Davis Cup" can be interpreted without problems since it presents relevant information about the context.
The context in the language
The linguistic context , on the other hand, refers to those factors that are related to the generation stage of a statement and that affect its meaning and interpretation. This means that a message depends on syntax , grammar and lexicon, but also on context.
The place, the possible interlocutors, the type of registration and the moment in which a linguistic act takes place is called an extralinguistic context . These circumstances have an impact on the understanding of the linguistic situation.
Key in communication
Context is so important in communication that it should be the first thing to analyze when reading a book, watching a movie, listening to a song or simply talking to another person. Starting from cultural differences and reaching the variations present in a language within the same country, it is evident that what is correct for some may not be correct for others . For example, in some cultures it is polite to eat using your hands instead of cutlery, while in others this attitude can be taken as disgusting and uncivilized.
The same thing happens with language; Among friends of the same age group, it is common for codes to be used that would not be appropriate in another environment. This is seen a lot among teenagers, since their way of speaking tends to be giddy and full of idioms, so that if an elderly person hears a conversation of this type, they will probably not understand almost anything. Unfortunately, contextual differences are not always reasonable because they sometimes arise from a lack of commitment to the language and not due to a spontaneous series of modifications.
Knowing the context allows us to analyze a fact in perspective.
The concept in music and computing
In music , on the other hand, contextual differences can be noted both in the musical and textual aspects. For example, in popular singing it is very common that there is no very solid technical training, and in most cases the artists only have their raw instrument. Therefore, if we contrast this with a life dedicated to vocal study, which is normal in opera and chamber music, we will surely find a level of tuning that is negligible in one context and absolutely unthinkable in the other. As for the lyrics of the songs, a rap contains language that may seem vulgar, but it is correct in that type of compositions , where a poem by Pablo Neruda probably would not make sense.
For computing , context represents the information necessary to interrupt a task at a certain point and be able to resume it whenever desired. This data varies depending on the type of hardware and application; Furthermore, two people can find very different paths to achieve the same result, probably with different degrees of efficiency, so the logic used must also be considered when deciding the characteristics of a particular context. A common example is the function present in operating systems to put them to sleep , which allows us to "freeze" the computer so that when it comes time to continue working we find everything just as we left it.
The political context usually has an influence on a country's economy.
Context types
The context, in short, is the framework or environment that surrounds an event or that affects an action. The background, the setting, the location and the temporality are some of the variables that make up the contextualization.
As we have already seen, there are multiple types of context. Analysis of historical context , for example, is key to understanding the past. If we think about a 40-year-old political leader who is in a relationship with a 16-year-old teenager, currently that relationship would generate rejection and indignation. However, in the 19th century the same link would be seen differently. The explanation is found in the context: at that time, there were other ways of relating, a different life expectancy, different traditions, etc. The changes and evolution of history meant that such a relationship is not considered appropriate today.
Knowing the economic context , meanwhile, can help understand decisions linked to the economy. If in a city with a poverty level of 60% and poor public services the government allocates thousands of dollars to organize a show by a pop music star, that decision will surely be condemned since it reflects that the authorities do not correctly establish priorities. budgetary. On the contrary, a developed city with a high quality of life and without inhabitants in poverty does not have the same economic restrictions and can spend on shows without major questions.
Another type of context is social , referring to habits and customs. There are regions where dog meat is consumed, something unacceptable in many societies, to mention one case.