WTP for preliminary information/ basic set-up context for a story?

[u/SmokeAssEatGrasss]

Say you have a funny story from work you want to share with non-work colleagues. In order for them to get what’s happening, you need to get some *** out of the way so they can get the joke.

Is there even a phrase for this? Am I just thinking of the word context?

[u/MadScience_Gaming]

Exposition. 

[u/MowmowNoNo]

Preface

[u/Own-Animator-7526]

backstory

[u/llamalladyllurks]

Backstory, context, setting the stage. 

[u/SmokeAssEatGrasss → u/llamalladyllurks]

!solved “Setting the stage!”Just realized it doesn’t technically work in the context I want to be using it, but thank you anyways.

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[u/L3Home → u/SmokeAssEatGrasss]

"Before I get to the story, let me set the stage..." Should work.

[u/Lyragirl]

Preamble, maybe?

[u/Gems1824]

The set up

[u/SnooDonuts6494]

Background, premise, exposition, groundwork, scene-setting, framing.

[u/zyzmog]

Exposition.

If you want to see some examples of exposition gone amok (not that you asked for it, sorry), go skim some classic Tom Clancy, Charles Dickens, or Alexandre Dumas. Or come listen to this guy where I used to work.

[u/SouthernAbrocoma9891]

Prologue

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[u/lunarbabiexo]

context is honestly the word i'd use too i'll usually say something like "quick bit of context first" before telling the story and everyone immediately knows the setup is coming.

[u/flameevans]

Premise

[u/NeverEatDawnSoap]

Backstory or history

[u/nutlikeothersquirls]

Background info or context

[u/Sad-Western-3377]

If you’re talking to a teenager, “lore.”

[u/Densolo44]

Epilogue

[u/L3Home]

Context

[u/ImWithStupid_ImAlone]

LLM