3.5.2. Types of Textual Supports and Differences

The main types of textual support terminology are definitions, contexts, observations, phraseologisms and usage samples. Textual supports are always accompanied by their references.

• A definition is a descriptive statement that gives the essential characteristics of a concept as well as characteristics that distinguish the concept from all others.
• A context is a quoted text that illustrates the definition. It may also take the place of a definition. The term must always be present in the context.
• observations or notes provide further information regarding usage of the term in discourse.
• Phraseologisms and usage samples show how the term is used.

Defining contexts include the essential characteristics of the concept under study, while explanatory contexts provide information about some of the characteristics. Associative contexts demonstrate the use of the term in the subject field under study, but do not help to illustrate the textual match through correspondence of semantic features.

observations provide information about nuances of the concept or about usage of the terms that designate the concept.

If textual supports are quotations (as is always the case with contexts), you must respect copyright laws and include a reference to the appropriate bibliographic source. If textual supports are original formulations, then you, as the person who wrote them, are identified as the source.