A description means providing information, with greater or lesser detail, about something.
Description , originating from the Latin descriptio , is the action and effect of describing (representing someone or something through language , defining something by giving a general idea, delineating, illustrating). The description provides information about someone or something, with different possible degrees of detail.
For example: "The police have released a detailed description of the fugitive's appearance so that citizens can collaborate with his search" , "The chronicler gave a wonderful description of the atmosphere that was experienced at the march" , "Marcos got angry with Santiago for the less-than-optimistic description he made of the situation» , «Listening to your description of the beach, I feel like I'm standing by the sea» .
It can be said that the description is a representation of something or someone through words and that it includes an orderly and detailed explanation of different qualities and circumstances.
Subjectivity in a description
It is important to keep in mind that any description is inevitably subjective since it is responsible for representing through language (written or oral) partial aspects of how a person observes and interprets reality. The point of view of the person describing, their needs, and their prior knowledge about the subject in question are some of the many factors that influence the result.
If two journalists attend a celebration and then describe their experience, it is possible that each text tells a different story, perhaps opposite; The same event that may seem “picturesque and lively” to one may seem “chaotic and scandalous” to the other. It is worth clarifying that this is not the product of a manipulation of the truth , but rather it reveals the differences between both people.
The degree of subjectivity of a description can vary: "This city has more than a hundred skyscrapers" / "This beautiful city has numerous and impressive skyscrapers."
Classification according to type
There are various types of description; In principle, continuing with what we already expressed, it is possible to distinguish between:
* objective (or denotative ), which consists of the reconstruction of reality without allowing personal issues, such as taste and opinions , to interfere. This is the type of description used in texts of a technical and scientific nature, since it simply seeks to inform;
* subjective (or connotative ), which adds a personal appreciation to the information, a point of view that makes each description unique and unrepeatable. Unlike the previous type, it uses subjective language, typical of poetry, to express the impression that the object causes on its observer.
Language used in a description
Taking this first classification into account, the descriptions can be grouped according to the language they use:
* literary : it relies on the resources of the language to enhance the aesthetic aspects of the text, embellishing the information, making it more pleasant for the recipient;
* scientific : the vocabulary used seeks absolute clarity, the highest degree of precision and objectivity;
* colloquial : this is the use of everyday language, terms and resources available to anyone.
The object described
Likewise, the object described opens the doors to the following types of description:
* chronography : this is the description of a time or period in which a specific event takes place;
* zoography : animals belonging to any species are described;
* hypotype : very vivid story to describe an abstract situation, trying to generate in the recipient the feeling of knowing it through intense use of emotions;
* topography : used especially for the reconstruction of the characteristics of a landscape, it is a description from a fixed position, a static observation of an object.
Characterization as description
With respect to descriptions of people, what is known as characterization , there are also various types, such as:
* prosopography : the physical aspects of an individual are recounted;
* etopeia : focuses on psychological characteristics and the moral level;
* portrait : the combination of prosopography and etopeia;
* self-portrait : a portrait of oneself.