What is the context of an expression?

The context of an expression or a text is the social situation in which something is said. It includes any information relevant to understanding the appropriate use of an expression or the interpretation of a text.

The context of an expression answers the following questions:

• Who said it? Who was addressed?
• What were the circumstances? What was the occasion?
• When was this word or expression used? When was the text given?
• Where was it spoken?
• Why was it spoken?
• How was it spoken? How was it received?

In Javanese, the social context of an expression is very important. The difference in social status between the speaker and the hearer determines the choice of speech register.

Formal register

When speaking to someone with a higher status, you use a formal register.

Informal register

When speaking to someone with a lower status, you use an informal register:

Note that both expressions mean the same thing. It is, therefore, very important in data collection to record the social context of an expression.

Anderson, S. and Keenan 1985 274–275

Context for this page:

• Concept module: context of an expression
• In overview module: Glossary (Linguistics): C
• In modular book: Glossary of linguistic terms, by Eugene E. Loos (general editor), Susan Anderson (editor), Dwight H., Day, Jr. (editor), Paul C. Jordan (editor), and J. Douglas Wingate (editor)
• In bookshelf: Linguistics

This page is an extract from the LinguaLinks Library, Version 5.0 published on CD-ROM by SIL International, 2003. [Ordering information.]

Page content last modified: 5 January 2004

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