prior to VS before

[Eartha]

Dear all,

Is there any difference between "prior to" and "before"?

For example,

"The Economy Prior to 1929" and "The Economy Before 1929", is there any subtle difference between the two?


Thanks in advance.

 

[corum]

Sometimes termed pompous or affected, prior to is a synonym of before that most often appears in rather formal contexts, such as the annual reports of corporations. It may occasionally emphasize the notion of anticipation

MWD