Context vs Content
Difference between content and context is based in their meaning. You may have seen that context and content are two words used in the English language that are often confused due to the apparent similarity of their spellings and pronunciation. However, there are some differences between the two words that set them apart.
What is Context?
The word context refers to a certain section of a written text or an oral speech that immediately precedes or follows a word or passage that clarifies its meaning. It is a concept that is used in language sciences such as sociolinguistics, linguistics, systemic functional linguistics, pragmatics, discourse analysis, semiotics, etc. Context can be used in either verbal context or social context. Verbal context refers to a medium of expression such as a speech, word, conversational turn, sentence, etc. where the context of this discourse influences the manner in which the expression is understood. Modern linguistics takes conversations, texts or discourses as objects of analysis where the coherence between sentences and discourse structures are analysed. Social context, on the other hand, is used in sociolinguistics and are defined in objective social variables, such as those of gender, class, race or age that make up one’s social identity. One can even recognize speech and text as one of the social variables that social context is defined as.
What is Content?
The word content refers to written or recorded material that constitutes a single production. It is the information or the experience that provides a value for the customer or the end user. Whether it be an essay, dissertation, a videos, a book, etc. one often refers to such as the content of the essay, content of the video, etc. Content is something that is expressed in writing, speech or any other form of art and is presented via different media such as books, newspapers, the internet, conferences, CDs, etc.
What is the difference between Context and Content?
• Definitions of Context and Content:
• Context usually means reference to something.
• Content refers to information or material that constitutes a single production.
• Expressions:
• The expression ‘reference to context’ means ‘reference to a particular occasion’ in a play or in a short story.
• On the other hand, the expression ‘quality content’ refers to ‘a topic written in an impeccable language bereft of grammar errors.’
• Usage:
• Context:
• The adjectival form of the word context is ‘contextual’ and is used in the sense of ‘relevant’ or ‘something pertaining to an occasion or ‘place.’
• The expression ‘contextual advertising’ refers to ‘advertising done according to the relevance of the place or the occasion.
• Content:
• The word content is generally used to indicate something contained in a vessel, a book or a house.
• The substance or material dealt in a speech or a work of art is often referred to by the word content.
• Sometimes the word content is used in the sense of the capacity or the volume of a thing.
Therefore, one can conclude that while content and context are two words that are closely related, they feature very different meanings.
Images Courtesy:
- Books by Abhi Sharma (CC BY 2.0)
- Content by Rudloff (CC BY-SA 3.0)
