This site uses cookies. Some of these cookies are essential to the operation of the site, while others help to improve your experience by providing insights into how the site is being used. For more information, please see the ProZ.com privacy policy.
Cookie settings
  1. KudoZ™ Top
  2. English
  3. Journalism

fault lines criss-crossing the social landscape

English translation: Deep differences of opinion between different regions

02:56 Jul 22, 2004
English language (monolingual) [PRO]
Social Sciences - Journalism / news
English term or phrase: fault lines criss-crossing the social landscape
Singer Janet Jackson's breast wasn't the only thing she exposed during her performance at the Super Bowl two weeks ago. She also laid bare the fault lines criss-crossing the social landscape of the US. To columnists in New York and Los Angeles, the fuss was baffling.
Edward LIU
Canada
Local time: 18:19
Selected answer:Deep differences of opinion between different regions
Explanation:
"Fault lines" (geological rifts) are being used as a metaphor for differences in opinion which divide people into geographically-oriented groups (in this case, urban journalists and people living in rural areas). "Criss-crossing" means "laid across."
Selected response from:

Andrew Levine
United States
Local time: 18:19
Grading comment
Thank you all for your contribution, but adlnj's answer seems to be most fitting.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
5 +7Deep differences of opinion between different regions
Andrew Levine
4 +2major conceptual dangerous points varying socially
Michael Powers (PhD)
5 +1invisible socio-economic differences
humbird


  

Answers


5 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
major conceptual dangerous points varying socially


Explanation:
Merriam Webster - 11th edition

something resembling a fault : SPLIT, RIFT *a major conceptual fault line in foreign policy — Morton Kondracke*

Mike :)

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 6 mins (2004-07-22 03:02:41 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

In New York and LA, where generally people are more liberal and less isolated, the exposure of Janet Jackson\'s breast was no big deal. However, to people in socially conservative areas, it was as if an earthquake had struck 8.0 on the Richter scale.

Michael Powers (PhD)
United States
Local time: 18:19
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  sarahl (X): how about after-shocks? -:)
1 hr
  -> Thank you, srahl - yes, the after-shocks can certainly be shaking, can't they? - Mike :)
agree  Sunshine King
6 hrs
  -> Thank you, Sunshine - Mike :)
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

8 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +7
Deep differences of opinion between different regions


Explanation:
"Fault lines" (geological rifts) are being used as a metaphor for differences in opinion which divide people into geographically-oriented groups (in this case, urban journalists and people living in rural areas). "Criss-crossing" means "laid across."

Andrew Levine
United States
Local time: 18:19
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
Thank you all for your contribution, but adlnj's answer seems to be most fitting.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  NancyLynn
1 min
  -> merci
agree  Vicky Papaprodromou
29 mins
  -> merci
agree  Craft.Content: There are hidden tensions and unspoken differences amongst the various social layers. These came out in the open, as a result of the incident.
58 mins
  -> (Why have I been saying "merci"? This is En->En and I am not even French.) Anyway, thank you for your further explanation, Sanjay. :)
neutral  humbird: I don't see anything like physical georgraphic regions in "social landscape" as you pointed out. "Social landscape" is more likely socio-economic, that is income, age, political affiliation, etc. It's not a regional difference.
1 hr
  -> The parag. this is taken from specifically mentions geographic separation, using the term "heartlands" and contrasting it to "New York and Los Angeles". In the US the particular issue at hand is often seen as being split along geographic lines nowadays.
agree  David Knowles: The layers are both geographical and social. "New York and Los Angeles" is itself metaphorical, much like those areas beloved of aid agencies "The West" "The North" "The South", which have no real geographical meaning.
5 hrs
  -> Thank you, this is what I was trying to get at
agree  Ramesh Madhavan
8 hrs
  -> Thank you
agree  Alfa Trans (X)
9 hrs
  -> Thank you
agree  Elena Petelos
11 hrs
  -> Thank you
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +1
invisible socio-economic differences


Explanation:
Fault line is a rift usually associated with earthquakes, and it's a metapher in this case as someone already pointed out. Key words here is "social landscape" which means people who belong to different socio-economic strata that making up our society. Some are liberal, some are conservative, some are educated thereby earning higher income, whereas some are in opposite camp. Some are Protestants, some are Catholics, some are recent immigrants, some are old establishment (in America). Those different people who hold different value and viewpoints are the composite of the "social landscape" that may or may not interact with each other. Again landscape is another anology which cannot be mistaken for actual region or area, like rural Kansas as opposed to Manhattan residents (of course that is part of the game as people of different area tend to see things differently).

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr 54 mins (2004-07-22 04:50:27 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Fault lines refer to those difference or \"gap\".

humbird
Native speaker of: Native in JapaneseJapanese, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Sunshine King: I have to agree - The "social landscape" does not refer to actual geography, but refers to the varied social statuses, ethics and lifestyles of the people...While often the people from one area have simmilar beliefs, there are many who don't
4 hrs
  -> Thank Sunshine. In a way regional differences contribute to socioeconomic gap, but it is only one factor. Social landscape refers to hord of social factors. Careful examination of original sentence implies that.
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



Login or register (free and only takes a few minutes) to participate in this question.

You will also have access to many other tools and opportunities designed for those who have language-related jobs (or are passionate about them). Participation is free and the site has a strict confidentiality policy.

Return to KudoZ list

KudoZ™ translation help

The KudoZ network provides a framework for translators and others to assist each other with translations or explanations of terms and short phrases.

See also:
ProZ.com term search
Search millions of term translations
Close search
Term search
  • All of ProZ.com
  • Term search
  • Jobs
  • Forums
  • Multiple search