Jul 20, 2023 17:37
1 yr ago
33 viewers *
English term
any thing or person upon which we depend vitally
English
Other
General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
Dear colleagues,
The passage below is taken from the book The Gift of Presence. A mindfulness guide for women.
I’m not sure about the meaning of “any thing or person upon which we depend vitally,” referred to the word "pivot" and to the metaphor of basketball.
Do you think it might be rephrased as “any thing or person of vital importance for us”? Because it seems to me that “from which our life depends” would be too strong, if referred to basketball.
What’s your opinion?
Thank you so much for all your valuable hints!
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Pivoting has origins in Old French and dates back to 1605 – 1615. The noun pivot means *** “any thing or person upon which we depend vitally,” *** as in a rock or an anchor. The anchor is a key feature of Pivoting, just as in basketball when we keep one foot anchored while passing the ball, and the person we are depending upon is ourselves. We’re all likely familiar with the day-to-day Pivoting that allows us to meet the ever-evolving demands of our work, family, and friends.... There’s also “crisis Pivoting” that’s required when emergencies arise and demand our full, immediate attention – such as a serious illness, unexpected loss of a job, or the death of a loved one. When these life events occur, we drop everything to deal with them.
The passage below is taken from the book The Gift of Presence. A mindfulness guide for women.
I’m not sure about the meaning of “any thing or person upon which we depend vitally,” referred to the word "pivot" and to the metaphor of basketball.
Do you think it might be rephrased as “any thing or person of vital importance for us”? Because it seems to me that “from which our life depends” would be too strong, if referred to basketball.
What’s your opinion?
Thank you so much for all your valuable hints!
****************
Pivoting has origins in Old French and dates back to 1605 – 1615. The noun pivot means *** “any thing or person upon which we depend vitally,” *** as in a rock or an anchor. The anchor is a key feature of Pivoting, just as in basketball when we keep one foot anchored while passing the ball, and the person we are depending upon is ourselves. We’re all likely familiar with the day-to-day Pivoting that allows us to meet the ever-evolving demands of our work, family, and friends.... There’s also “crisis Pivoting” that’s required when emergencies arise and demand our full, immediate attention – such as a serious illness, unexpected loss of a job, or the death of a loved one. When these life events occur, we drop everything to deal with them.
Change log
Jul 20, 2023 17:45: philgoddard changed "Field" from "Social Sciences" to "Other" , "Field (write-in)" from "pivot" to "(none)"
Responses
+1
1 hr
Selected
pivot = hub, central or fixed point or person
pivot is a fixed central point or most important/central person UPON WHICH OR WHOM WE CAN RELY
see these definitions as they should help you in the context you have
Clearly a basketball player is pivoting on 1 foot, so his/her foot is the central point, hub or ANCHOR
In your context it's suggested you yourself are the hub "the person we are depending upon is ourselves"
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/pivot
hub, central /fixed point supporting something that turns or balances
the central or most important person or thing in a situation:
https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/pivot
in business it has a similar meaning and is frequently used where people use the position they are in to PIVOT to a different role
https://fi.co/insight/what-pivoting-is-when-to-pivot-and-how...
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Note added at 3 days 22 hrs (2023-07-24 16:06:31 GMT) Post-grading
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Glad to have helped.
Your line:
“any thing or person upon which we depend vitally,” in this context does not necessarily mean essential to our lives
Vitally just means extremely/very something important, like an anchor/pivot we can rely on
see these definitions as they should help you in the context you have
Clearly a basketball player is pivoting on 1 foot, so his/her foot is the central point, hub or ANCHOR
In your context it's suggested you yourself are the hub "the person we are depending upon is ourselves"
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/pivot
hub, central /fixed point supporting something that turns or balances
the central or most important person or thing in a situation:
https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/pivot
in business it has a similar meaning and is frequently used where people use the position they are in to PIVOT to a different role
https://fi.co/insight/what-pivoting-is-when-to-pivot-and-how...
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 3 days 22 hrs (2023-07-24 16:06:31 GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------
Glad to have helped.
Your line:
“any thing or person upon which we depend vitally,” in this context does not necessarily mean essential to our lives
Vitally just means extremely/very something important, like an anchor/pivot we can rely on
Note from asker:
Thank you so much, Yvonne, for your help! |
Thank you so much, Yvonne, for your further explanation! Have a nice evening! |
Peer comment(s):
neutral |
philgoddard
: As I understand it, the question is not about "pivot".
2 hrs
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It is, asker rephrased definition of word "pivot" for the headline term and asked if it's OK
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agree |
Björn Vrooman
: Clearly what the asker wanted to know. As for haribert's follow-up Q, I defer to you, but I think any link to "life" is from days long past: https://www.etymonline.com/search?q=vitally Not sure I'd keep the baseball reference, though.
1 day 17 hrs
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Thanks for reading the question (and Ans)! The baseball thing is exanple of a pivot/anchor used by author so can't really be discarded fully though could be localised. Yes, "vital to life" is overtranslation IMHO
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thank you so much, Yvonne, for your precious help! Many thanks also to all other colleagues!"
-1
15 hrs
any thing or person upon which we depend to be alive
Hi, I think they refer literally to something that saves our life.
This definition refers to the ancient meaning of "pivot", not to the actual meaning nor to the metaphor of basketball. It has evolved through centuries --that's how etymology works.
This definition refers to the ancient meaning of "pivot", not to the actual meaning nor to the metaphor of basketball. It has evolved through centuries --that's how etymology works.
Note from asker:
Hi, Susana, thank you for your contribution! Actually I find it difficult to find a general expression suitable for a rock or anchor and for basketball, so maybe I'll leave it a bit more general, writing something along the lines "of vital importance"... so I'll maintain the reference, although in an indirect way, to survival... |
Peer comment(s):
disagree |
AllegroTrans
: "vitally" means "essentially", but "to be alive" is taking the expression too far
3 hrs
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It also means "necessary or essential to life" (Collins); they mention a rock too...
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Discussion
"pivot
in American English
(ˈpɪvət)
NOUN
1. a pin, point, or short shaft on the end of which something rests and turns, or upon and about which something rotates or oscillates
2. the end of a shaft or arbor, resting and turning in a bearing
3. any thing or person on which something or someone functions or depends vitally
He is the pivot of my life
4. the person in a line, as of troops on parade, whom the others use as a point about which to wheel or maneuver..."
https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/pivot