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Was honestly expecting this word to come up during the recent call about the English vs French meanings of precipice. We've had lengthy discussions elsewhere about the meaning of the word watershed. Seems some people understand it as a dividing line, where the water on one side flows to one destination and the water just across the line flows to another. Like the Continental Divide, where a raindrop that lands on one side ultimately ends up in the Pacific while one that falls just a few feet away will eventually make its way to the Atlantic.
But others use the word to mean the entire area that drains into one sink or the other. For those who have this definition of "watershed", the line separating them is a "divide", while those who use "watershed" itself to mean the separating line use "basin" for the area that feeds a single sink.
The metaphorical sense, of a point beyond which the result is different, seems to match up with the English sense of "precipice". (There's terminology in dynamics and chaos theory as well, using the word "catastrophe" in a purely technical way to mean that a small change in starting point can result in a major difference of outcome.)
Ron, you've packed enough for a 2 week discussion.
What I heard of the caller's question was whether 'on the precipice' could be a gross misuse of 'on the edge of the precipice.' It does sound a little absurd- makes you think of the Coyote of Loony Tunes sitting off the cliff contemplating the air beneath him.
Precipice and watershed do not strike me as kins of meanings at all (if that's what you seem to imply). Either as geologic formation or metaphor, the one conjures an abrupt end, the other a mere transition, albeit significant or dramatic.
I do not see your take on catastrophe, not recalling that word in those kinds of topics. Here's one rather comprehensive take on the butterfly effect, yet they are not using that word.
How different is basin from valley?
RobertB asked: How different is basin from valley?
My take has always been: a basin is a low region contained on all sides, and a valley is a low region contained on only two sides.
This also ties in w/ Ron's comments about watersheds. In grade school we were taught that (in the US) the Continental Divide separates watersheds that drain into the Pacific from those that drain into the Atlantic. But it's not quite that simple. In Utah the Continental Divide splits and rejoins around an area called the Great Basin which drains internally. Watersheds that feed the Great Basin deliver their water to neither ocean ... it either evaporates or percolates back into the ground.
Interestingly, Isa Lake (in Wyoming) sits right on the Continental Divide. A rain drop falling there has a 50/50 chance of making it to either ocean. The Lewis River, which exits stage West, drains to the Pacific. The Firehole River exits stage East and drains to the Atlantic. Travel farther north on the continent, and you'll find watersheds that drain into the Arctic Ocean.
Things are never quite as simple as what you learn in grade school. Even in such mundane fields as Geography.
Martha Barnette
Grant Barrett
Grant Barrett
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