informace

Informace is the Czech and Slovak word for information, referring to data, facts, or knowledge that can inform a person or process. In everyday language, information encompasses messages, reports, instructions, or any content that conveys meaning and reduces uncertainty about a subject. The term is used across disciplines to distinguish raw data from meaning-bearing content; information can be accurate or erroneous, verified or unverified, depending on its source and context.

Etymology and usage notes: The word derives from Latin informatio, via Old French information, and entered Czech and Slovak through historical linguistic contact with Latin and scholarly Germanic influences. In Czech the standard form is informace, while in Slovak it is informácia. In many contexts, informace is treated as a mass noun capable of singular and plural uses, with common phrases such as získat informace (to obtain information) or šířit informace (to disseminate information).

In science and technology: In information theory, informace denotes the content that a message carries and can be quantified, for example in bits; the concept is linked to entropy, redundancy, and channel capacity as formalized by Claude Shannon. In computing and data management, data are raw observations, whereas information is structured or interpreted data that has meaning for a user or system.

In media, education, and daily life: The term is central to journalism, libraries, education, and digital platforms, where information is created, organized, stored, retrieved, and disseminated. The usefulness and trustworthiness of information depend on accuracy, relevance, timeliness, and verification of sources.