polarisation
Meaning: The division of people, opinions, or groups into two sharply contrasting factions with little or no middle ground.
Polarisation describes the widening of a divide until two sides are in stark opposition with diminishing room for compromise. It is a dominant theme in contemporary political commentary, used to describe the state of public discourse in many Western democracies. In physics, it refers to the restriction of light waves to a single plane. The political sense draws metaphorically on the idea of opposite poles. Common collocations include 'political polarisation,' 'growing polarisation,' 'social polarisation,' and 'polarisation of debate.'
Examples
- The growing polarisation of British politics has made cross-party cooperation increasingly difficult to achieve. 英国政治日益加剧的两极化使跨党合作越来越难以实现。La creciente polarización de la política británica ha dificultado cada vez más la cooperación entre partidos.英国政治の分極化の進行により、超党派の協力はますます困難になっている。영국 정치의 양극화 심화로 인해 초당적 협력이 점점 더 어려워지고 있다.
- Social media algorithms are widely blamed for accelerating the polarisation of public opinion. 社交媒体算法被广泛指责加速了公众舆论的两极化。Los algoritmos de las redes sociales son ampliamente culpados de acelerar la polarización de la opinión pública.ソーシャルメディアのアルゴリズムは世論の分極化を加速させていると広く非難されている。소셜 미디어 알고리즘이 여론의 양극화를 가속시킨다는 비난이 널리 퍼져 있다.
- The wealth gap has driven a stark economic polarisation between the prosperous south-east and the post-industrial north. 贫富差距导致了富裕的东南部与后工业时代的北部之间严峻的经济两极化。La brecha de riqueza ha generado una acusada polarización económica entre el próspero sudeste y el norte postindustrial.富の格差が、繁栄する南東部と脱工業化した北部との間に厳しい経済的分極化をもたらした。빈부 격차가 번영하는 남동부와 탈산업화된 북부 사이에 극심한 경제적 양극화를 초래했다.
Pronunciation
Usage Guide
Context: media, academic, professional
Tone: negative
Origin & History
From polarise (from French polariser, from Latin polaris, of or near the pole, from polus, end of an axis, from Greek polos, pivot, axis) + -ation. The physical sense came first; the metaphorical sense of opposing extremes developed in the nineteenth century.
Cultural Context
Era: Modern
Generation: All ages
Social background: Universal
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