Just how would you define "context"?

[Roro]

Not to be rude with you, Mr Ballantyne, but I'm a bit uneasy at your definition.
I've been thinking that as long as we are studying syntax and semantics of one sentence, we needn't consider any 'context,' as far as I'm aware of.


...or at least we could do without this notion, for simplicity sake.
??

[Roro]

Hello there,
I must correct my previous comment , there's at least one important exception, seems like...
Sentences which include so called 'polarity items' require 'contexts' in order to be properly interpreted.

My appologies... ;

Originally Posted by JJM Ballantyne

See - there you go with that linguistics stuff again. It's not enough for it to be "context," it has to be "cotext" or "textual context."

The problem is JJM, if you ask a regular student to provide you with more context regarding a question he/she asks, he/she will tend to reply with more situational context. Very few ESL students would just provide you with more "words". So, it is the common understanding of "context" that is at fault.

Just watch this forum for a while and see how students, and many native speakers, respond when asked to provide more context.

Originally Posted by Roro

Not to be rude with you, Mr Ballantyne, but I'm a bit uneasy at your definition.
I've been thinking that as long as we are studying syntax and semantics of one sentence, we needn't consider any 'context,' as far as I'm aware of.


...or at least we could do without this notion, for simplicity sake.
??

Most people seem to be confused by having to define the term "context". Here's what some dictionaries have to say:

"Quick definitions (context)

noun: discourse that surrounds a language unit and helps to determine its interpretation
noun: the set of facts or circumstances that surround a situation or event (Example: "The historical context") "

http://www.onelook.com/?w=context&ls=a

[Roro]

Quick definitions of 'context'
noun: discourse that surrounds a language unit and helps to determine its interpretation
noun: the set of facts or circumstances that surround a situation or event (Example: "The historical context")

Thank you for your definitions, M56. They are fairly appropriate, not only concise.

My view was too narrow. It had, however, some basis

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Definitions of context-free grammars:

Grammars specified as rules that can be applied regardless of context. Thus, if there is a rule which says that an integer can be used as an expression, integers are allowed anywhere an expression is permitted. See Language and Grammar.
http://www.cse.unsw.edu.au/help/doc/.../Glossary.html

In linguistics and computer science, a context-free grammar (CFG) is a formal grammar in which every production rule is of the form where V is a non-terminal symbol and w is a string consisting of terminals and/or non-terminals. The term "context-free" comes from the fact that the non-terminal V can always be replaced by w, regardless of the context in which it occurs. A formal language is context-free if there is a context-free grammar that generates it.
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Such a view does have its limitations, of course I know, so I'd accept your view.

Originally Posted by Roro

Such a view does have its limitations, of course I know, so I'd accept your view.