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like so many whirlpools

English translation: patterns of waves forming vortices

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
English term or phrase:like so many whirlpools
Selected answer:patterns of waves forming vortices
Entered by: B D Finch

00:55 Jan 9, 2017
English language (monolingual) [PRO]
Science (general)
English term or phrase: like so many whirlpools
Hello everyone,

Today we should know better. All the new sciences of the twenty-first century, both physical and biological, are holistic. The whole is greater than the sum of the parts. They show that the world does not consist of separate, isolated parts but rather of intricately entangled systems. A change in any one apparently separate part affects the whole. Quantum physics tells us that the universe actually consists of patterns of dynamic energy, ***self-organizing wave patterns like so many whirlpools***, the bound- aries of each interwoven with those of all others. If we could look through a quantum microscope, the whole effect would look like the interlocking patterns of waves on the sea.

Is "are" omitted and does "like so many whirlpools" really imply "self-organizing wave patterns _are_ like so many whirlpools"?

Thank you.
Mikhail Korolev
Local time: 10:46
patterns of waves forming vortices
Explanation:
I think that this is not a case of "are" being omitted, but adding it would not change the meaning, which is that the patterns of waves form vortices (referred to metaphorically as "whirlpools").
Selected response from:

B D Finch
France
Local time: 09:46
Grading comment
Many thanks to everyone.
Thank you, B D Finch.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
3 +3self-organizing patterns that are like so many whirlpools
Darius Saczuk
4patterns of waves forming vortices
B D Finch
3"are" is not omitted
Yasutomo Kanazawa


  

Answers


6 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +3
self-organizing patterns that are like so many whirlpools


Explanation:
This is a reduced defining relative clause.

Darius Saczuk
United States
Local time: 03:46
Native speaker of: Native in PolishPolish, Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  BdiL: So to speak like a "long adjective". :) Maurizio
7 hrs
  -> Thank you, BdiL.
agree  María
10 hrs
  -> Thank you, Maria.
agree  acetran
1 day 10 hrs
  -> Thank you, Acetran.
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3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
"are" is not omitted


Explanation:
"are" is not omitted here. Whirlpools here is used as a metaphor. Whirpool usually means a vortex or a rapidly rotating mass of water or air which sucks everything into the center. In this context, The explanation to this is in the fourth sentence, starting with "They show that the world does not..."
Therefore, each wave is a whirlpool in its own way, and they are collected or attracted to each other to create a whole , i.e. just like a human body, head, arms, legs, eyes ears, etc. which makes us humans.

Yasutomo Kanazawa
Japan
Local time: 16:46
Native speaker of: Native in JapaneseJapanese

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  B D Finch: While agreeing that "are" is not omitted (because this is a use of apposition), I think you are wrong about each wave being a whirlpool and what follows.
6 hrs
  -> Thank you very much for your comment.
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10 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
patterns of waves forming vortices


Explanation:
I think that this is not a case of "are" being omitted, but adding it would not change the meaning, which is that the patterns of waves form vortices (referred to metaphorically as "whirlpools").

B D Finch
France
Local time: 09:46
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 8
Grading comment
Many thanks to everyone.
Thank you, B D Finch.
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



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