Bracketing (/ˈbrækɪtɪŋ/) is the act of enclosing something in brackets or pairing something together. The word is spelled with two t's, as pronounced by the strong /t/ sound in the middle of the word followed by the weak /ɪ/ vowel sound. The initial consonant sound of the word is the voiced bilabial /b/ sound, followed by the voiceless alveolar fricative /s/ sound represented by the letter "r". The word ends with the dental stop /t/ and the weak /ɪŋ/ sound.
Bracketing is a term commonly used in various fields, including mathematics, philosophy, photography, and linguistics. In mathematics, specifically in algebra or calculus, bracketing refers to the use of parentheses, square brackets, or curly brackets to group or enclose terms together. This grouping helps define the order of operations in mathematical expressions and equations. By using brackets, mathematicians ensure that certain operations are performed before others, leading to accurate calculations and solutions.
In philosophy, bracketing is a technique used in the phenomenological method to temporarily suspend or set aside preconceived beliefs, biases, or assumptions. This intentional act of bracketing assists in examining and understanding phenomena as they appear directly to consciousness, without any preconceived notions or interpretations influencing the observations.
In the realm of photography, bracketing refers to a technique used to capture multiple shots of the same subject at different exposures. This is done by taking photographs with varying levels of brightness, usually by adjusting shutter speed, aperture, or ISO settings. The purpose of bracketing in photography is to ensure a wider range of exposure options, which can be later used to select the best shot or to combine multiple shots into a high dynamic range (HDR) image.
In linguistics, bracketing involves the analysis and grouping of words, phrases, or morphemes according to their syntactic structure. By placing brackets around linguistic units, linguists can depict the hierarchical relationships and dependencies between different elements within a sentence, thereby revealing the underlying structure of the language being studied.
The word "bracketing" originated from the French word "bracket" which means "a small bracket or support". It was derived from the Old French word "braquet" meaning "little support" or "brace". The term "bracketing" was initially used in mathematics and refers to placing brackets around or enclosing a group of numbers or variables to indicate the specific order in which calculations should be performed. Over time, the term expanded its meaning to include various other contexts where grouping or enclosing certain elements together is involved, such as in photography or linguistics.