teletext
C2Formal, Technical, Historical
Definition
Meaning
A system for transmitting text-based information such as news, weather, and sports results, displayed on a television screen.
Historically, a one-way information service accessed via a TV set, often organised into numbered pages. It can also refer, by extension, to the general concept of digital text information services delivered over broadcast signals.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The term is a proprietary name (like 'Hoover' for vacuum cleaner) that became generic. It strongly implies a specific, now largely obsolete, technology. It is not used for modern interactive on-screen TV guides or streaming text services.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term 'teletext' was more common in the UK, where the service was widely used and standardised (as 'Ceefax' and 'Teletext'). In the US, the analogous but incompatible system was more often called 'videotex' or specifically 'Ceefax' (UK) vs. 'Teletext' (proprietary name in some regions). The US system was less universally adopted.
Connotations
In the UK, it carries strong nostalgia for the 1980s-2000s. In the US, it is a more obscure technical term.
Frequency
Far more frequent in British English historical or technological contexts. Very low frequency in contemporary American English.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
access [OBJECT: teletext]look up [OBJECT: football scores] on teletext[OBJECT: Information] is available via teletextVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “As slow as teletext (humorous, referring to its sequential page access)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare, except in historical analysis of media or broadcasting technology.
Academic
Used in media studies, communication technology history, and sociology of technology.
Everyday
Used nostalgically or to explain pre-internet information sources. 'I used to check the flight times on teletext.'
Technical
Precise term in broadcasting engineering and legacy system documentation.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- We'll teletext the results as soon as they're in.
- The news was teletexted to all regions.
American English
- The station planned to teletext the emergency alerts.
- Data was teletexted alongside the broadcast signal.
adverb
British English
- The information was sent teletextually.
adjective
British English
- The teletext service was discontinued in 2012.
- He had a teletext decoder built into his old TV.
American English
- The teletext system required a special adapter.
- Videotex was the American teletext standard.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The weather is on teletext.
- Teletext has news.
- Before the internet, many people got sports scores from teletext.
- You needed a special button on the remote to use teletext.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
TELEvision + TEXT = TELETEXT: text on your television.
Conceptual Metaphor
INFORMATION IS A PAGE (e.g., 'turn to page 301 for news').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid translating as 'телетекст' (which is a direct calque but not the standard term); the common Russian term is 'Телетекст' (capitalised as a service name) or 'бегущая строка' (ticker tape, which is different).
Common Mistakes
- Using 'teletext' to refer to modern smart TV interfaces or subtitles. Confusing 'teletext' (one-way broadcast) with 'internet' or 'interactive services'.
Practice
Quiz
What was a primary characteristic of the teletext system?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Closed captions are subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing, directly related to the audio of a programme. Teletext was a separate information service with news, weather, etc., accessed by choosing page numbers.
In most countries, the analogue teletext service was switched off with the move to digital television. Some digital TV standards include a similar, more advanced service (e.g., Digital Teletext or MHEG-5), but it is not the same as the classic system.
In the UK, 'Ceefax' was the name of the BBC's teletext service. 'Teletext' was the name of the commercial service offered by ITV and Channel 4. However, 'teletext' (lowercase) became the generic term for the technology.
The rise of the internet and digital media, which offered vastly more information, interactivity, and speed, made the slow, page-based teletext system obsolete.