Contextos

Contextos are the conditions, circumstances, or settings that surround an event, statement, or text and influence its meaning, interpretation, or outcome. The concept is used across languages and disciplines to emphasize that meaning depends on more than isolated elements.

In linguistics, context is typically divided into linguistic (co-text: the surrounding words or sentences) and non-linguistic or situational context (the physical setting, participants, purpose, shared knowledge). For example, the word banco can mean bank or bench, disambiguated by context.

In computing and information systems, context refers to information that characterizes the state of a user, device, or environment. Context-aware applications tailor content or behavior to factors such as location, time, user activity, or capabilities.

In social sciences and humanities, contexts include cultural norms, historical period, institutional frameworks, and socio-economic conditions that shape actions and interpretations. In research, understanding context supports the interpretation and transferability of findings.

Etymology and usage notes: contextus originates from Latin, meaning a joining together, and the term appears in many languages with variants such as contexto (Spanish, Portuguese) or contexte (French). The plural form contextos is common in Romance languages and is often used to refer to multiple situational factors surrounding a particular phenomenon.