Taustinfo

Taustinfo is a neologism used to denote background information that helps readers understand a topic, event, or person. It typically includes context such as dates, origins, relationships, or prior developments and is presented as a brief, self-contained preface or as labeled contextual notes adjacent to the main content.

Etymology and usage. The term blends tausta (Finnish for background) with info, reflecting cross-language informal usage common in Nordic digital communication. It is largely informal and not standard in formal journalism, but appears widely in blogs, newsletters, social media, and user guides.

Placement and function. Taustinfo serves to reduce reader confusion by supplying essential context before or alongside a narrative. It can be updated as new information becomes available and is meant to be concise, accurate, and verifiable.

Variants and scope. Related terms include taustatieto or taustatiedot, and similar phrases exist in other languages, like background information or context. The concept is distinct from metadata; taustinfo focuses on explanatory content rather than data about data.

See also. See also: Background information, Context, Contextualization, Metadata.