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Glossary entry

English term or phrase:

every gaze reliably reflected

English answer:

everywhere you look, you can count on people being there

Added to glossary by Adele Oliveri
Nov 19, 2007 14:59
16 yrs ago
English term

every gaze reliably reflected

English Social Sciences Social Science, Sociology, Ethics, etc.
Can someone please clarify the meaning of the sentence between ***?

Some of us seek out the desert because of its lack of noise and potential for solitary contemplation[...] Others are far happier sitting on a crowded beach surrounded by humanity for as far as the eye can see, ***every gaze reliably reflected***, with numerous ghetto-blasters competing for their attention.

Thank you all :-))
Responses
4 +3 everywhere you look, you can count on people being there
4 every fixed intent look exhibited giving the same result
3 good question

Responses

+3
35 mins
Selected

everywhere you look, you can count on people being there

"Desert" is being compared to a crowded place, probably a city. 'Reflected' in people's eyes, and 'reliably' because you can count on the fact that people will be there.

So, in essence, everywhere you look, you can count on people being there.
Peer comment(s):
agree Refugio : If this is what it means, and I fear it is, the writer is saying that when you gaze on a desert landscape, you see nothing.
3 hrs
Thank you, Ruth. That's exactly it, as opposed to gazing somewhere in a crowded city, where you will see people (and yourself reflected in their eyes).
agree Paula Vaz-Carreiro : I agree with Mark - in whichever direction you gaze, you are bound to find someone gazing back at you - I think that's what "reliably reflected" means to convey.
3 hrs
Thank you, Paula.
agree Tatiana N. (X)
3 hrs
Thank you, zyz.
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "thank you Mark! (and a great many thanks to Michael and Ken as well) "
35 mins

every fixed intent look exhibited giving the same result

Mike :)

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Note added at 37 mins (2007-11-19 15:37:34 GMT)
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A "gaze" is a "fixed intent look"

'reliably" means to give the same result

"reflected" is "exhibited"

Every fixed look is shown to give the same result.
Something went wrong...
3 hrs

good question

For my two bits' worth, I'm a native speaker and I honestly have no idea what it's supposed to mean (that is, no reliable idea...).

Now if it were 'every craze reliably reflected' -- that would make sense: you can count on seeing an example of every current fad.

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Note added at 3 hrs (2007-11-19 18:23:00 GMT)
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On further consideration, it *could* mean that there's something to see no matter where you look, but IMO that would betray a rather naive/ignorant idea of desert landscapes, or if you follow Mark's interprestation, the assumption that only other people are worth looking at.
Peer comment(s):
neutral Mark Berelekhis : Ken, just a note. My interpretation is not that only other people are worth looking at, but that anywhere you look, there will be people (seemingly looking back at you).
32 mins
I didn't mean to criticise your intepretation (which could well be correct), but intead what your interpreation would say about the author's attitude. As for looking back: IMO it would be just as likely to avoid returning gazes in such situations.
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