Jan 22, 2003 15:40
22 yrs ago
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English term
France
Words that work
Native in: English 
, German
Works in: German to English, Germanic(Other) to English, French to English
Preface, introduction, foreword
English
Other
What's the difference between these three? Which one is used when? Thanks for your input!
Alison
Alison
Responses
+8
6 mins
Attila Piróth
France
France
France
PhD, ATA-certified En-Hu, sci-tech-IT
Native in: Hungarian 
Works in: English to Hungarian, French to Hungarian, Hungarian to English, and 2 more.
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184
Selected
The Macmillan Good English Book says:
1. Use _foreword_ when it's a short note, written by someone other than the author, at the beginning of the book.
2. Use _preface_ when the introductory note is written by the author of the book.
3. Use _introduction_ for a longer and more detailed essay at the beginning of the book, written with the purpose of helping readres to approach the book in the way the author intended.
2. Use _preface_ when the introductory note is written by the author of the book.
3. Use _introduction_ for a longer and more detailed essay at the beginning of the book, written with the purpose of helping readres to approach the book in the way the author intended.
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Brilliant! Thanks!"
7 mins
and: preamble, prologue
they basically have all the same meaning and can be interchanged.
No references, just common sense.
No references, just common sense.
+2
9 mins
Preface / Foreword = literary, Introduction = more general
The definitions below are taken from the Shorter Oxford Dictionary.
In general there's not much difference between a preface and a foreword, though as the definition says a foreword is more likely to be written by somebody other than the author. Both are typically found in literary works or works of comparable merit e.g. histories.
Introductions are less fancy. More liekly to be found in books intended for teaching or business reports.
Definitions ...
Preface: The introduction to a literary work, stating its subject, purpose, plan, etc.
Introduction: A preliminary explanation of an author’s or speaker’s design or purpose; the part of a book, lecture, speech, etc., which leads up to the subject treated.
Foreword: A preface; a section of introductory remarks, esp. by a person other than the author of the main work.
In general there's not much difference between a preface and a foreword, though as the definition says a foreword is more likely to be written by somebody other than the author. Both are typically found in literary works or works of comparable merit e.g. histories.
Introductions are less fancy. More liekly to be found in books intended for teaching or business reports.
Definitions ...
Preface: The introduction to a literary work, stating its subject, purpose, plan, etc.
Introduction: A preliminary explanation of an author’s or speaker’s design or purpose; the part of a book, lecture, speech, etc., which leads up to the subject treated.
Foreword: A preface; a section of introductory remarks, esp. by a person other than the author of the main work.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Noel Castelino
9 mins
|
| agree |
Christopher Crockett
: Important distinctions.
31 mins
|
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