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A clue or a hint is a piece of information bringing someone closer to a conclusion[1] or which points to the right direction towards the solution[2] It is revealed either because it is discovered by someone who needs it or because it is shared (given) by someone else.
Etymology
editThe word originally was an alternate of spelling of clew, which was defined as "a ball of thread". The word evolved to have its current meaning in part because of the common motif in mythology and folklore of using a ball of thread to aid in escaping a maze.[3]
Clues in crimes
editClues help solving crimes in a criminal investigation by using forensic science.[4] They can be physical clues discovered on the crime scene, or discovered later during investigation by re-examining recorded evidence,[5] or by interviewing witnesses, victims, or suspects.
In fiction, the fictional character Sherlock Holmes remains a great inspiration for forensic science, especially for the way his acute study of a crime scene yielded small clues as to the precise sequence of events. Clues were introduced to detective fiction by Arthur Conan Doyle's Holmes stories, and they remain a staple of the genre today.[6]
Clues in games
editIn some games, if a player is stuck on a puzzle or riddle, they can ask or pay[7] for clues to help them progress in the game.
In some games, clues are an integral ludeme of the game mechanics, whereas in others they are considered cheats.
Clues in games or crosswords can either be given straight,[8] be cryptic,[8] be riddles, or contain contradictions. Clues can be intentionally misleading.[9]
Context clues
editI don't understand enigmas. I never could guess a riddle in my life.
– Jane Eyre
Charlotte Brontë, Jane Eyre (1847) chapter XIX, an example of the words "enigma" and "riddle" providing context clues.
When a reader encounters an unknown word or phrase in a text, context clues are anything in the text that helps them understand or guess the meaning of it. It can be synonyms, antonyms, explanations, examples, or familiar word-parts (prefix or suffix).[10] It can be definitions, comparisons, or contrasts.[11] Meaning can also be derived via descriptions of cause and effect or through inference.[12]
A 1966 study identified fourteen types of context clues for native speakers.[13] A 1971 study classified clues for second language readers into three categories: intra-lingual, inter-lingual and extra-lingual.[13]
Clue words
editIn a conversation, clue words, can be used by a speaker to indicate to the listener which direction they are moving the conversation. Examples of clue words are "But anyway" and "Incidentally".[14]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Clue Definition & Meaning | Britannica Dictionary". www.britannica.com. Retrieved 2023-12-06.
- ^ "Clue", Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, Volume VI, Slice V. 1910–1911.
- ^ "Definition of CLUE". www.merriam-webster.com. 2024-01-26. Retrieved 2024-01-31.
- ^ Ron Fridell. Solving crimes : pioneers of forensic science, 2000.
- ^ "The new weapon in the fight against crime", BBC, 4 March 2019.
- ^ Moretti, Franco (2000). "The Slaughterhouse of Literature". MLQ: Modern Language Quarterly. 61 (1): 207–227. ISSN 1527-1943.
- ^ Steve Sugar. Games that boost performance : 30 ready-to-use group activities p2008, 2005.
- ^ a b Kevin Skinner. "1 The Cryptic Clue in General" p 7, p 10, How to Solve Cryptic Crossword, 2008.
- ^ John Cleary. "Misleading Contexts: The Construction of Ambiguity in the Cryptic Crossword Clue", Edinburgh Working Papers in Applied Linguistics; n7 plA-29 1996.
- ^ "What Are Context Clues?", dictionary.com, 15 August 2022.
- ^ Richard Nordquist. "Definition and Examples of Context Clues", thoughtco.com, 31 July 2024.
- ^ Matt Ellis. "What Are Context Clues? A Guide to Identifying and Using Them", grammarly.com, 7 December 2023.
- ^ a b Zhaochun Yin. "Infer the Meaning of Unknown Words by Sheer Guess or by Clues? –An Exploration on the Clue Use in Chinese EFL Learner's Lexical Inferencing", English Language Teaching; Vol. 6, No. 11; 2013.
- ^ R. Reichman. Plain Speaking: A Theory and Grammar of Spontaneous Discourse p3 (abstract), Bolt Beranek and Newman Inc, 1981.