América se caracteriza por disposición del relieve

English translation: America is characterized by its unique topography

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Spanish term or phrase:América se caracteriza por disposición del relieve
English translation:America is characterized by its unique topography
Entered by: Remy Arce

12:12 Jul 13, 2009
Spanish to English translations [PRO]
Geography
Spanish term or phrase: América se caracteriza por disposición del relieve
In a children's textbook, America "se caracteriza por disposición del relieve, ríos caudalosos, grandes lagos y diferenceias costeras".

Does this mean that America is characterised by the way its terrain is laid out?

I find this a bit confusing. Wouldn't every territory be characterised by the way its land is laid out?

Thanks for your help.
Alison Imms
America is characterized by its unique topography
Explanation:
another perspective
Selected response from:

Remy Arce
United States
Local time: 22:20
Grading comment
Selected automatically based on peer agreement.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +4America is characterized by its unique topography
Remy Arce
4The Americas / America is characterized by the arrangement of the slopes
Michael Powers (PhD)
4America is known for its mountain ranges
T o b i a s
3 +1Characteristics of America are its mountain ranges, (its rivers....)
Noni Gilbert Riley
3America characterizes itself by the arrangement/layout of terrain
Yasutomo Kanazawa


Discussion entries: 3





  

Answers


7 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
The Americas / America is characterized by the arrangement of the slopes


Explanation:
#
Environmental Systems: An Introductory Text - Google Books Result
by I. D. White, S. J. Harrison, D. N. Mottershead - 1992 - Science - 632 pages
The relationships between these elements - the arrangement of the slopes composing the land surface, the river, the solid bedrock and the sediments ...
books.google.com/books?isbn=0748740813... -
#
On the frequency distribution of land slope
Department of Geography, State University ..... Rather, the orientation and spatial arrangement of the slopes appear to be the most important criteria ..... 'Asymmetrical valleys of the Chiltern Hills', Geographical Journal, ...
doi.wiley.com/10.1002/esp.3290120203 - Similar -
# [PDF]
Image Cover Sheet
File Format: PDF/Adobe Acrobat - View as HTML
around the geography of the Gatineau Hills region that involved locating ..... scaled differently to better indicate the spatial arrangement of the slopes). ...
pubs.drdc.gc.ca/PDFS/zbc85/p513881.pdf - Similar -
#
Full text of "A geography of the world"
AN ideal course in Geography would deal with the quantitative measurement and expression of the facts as to the geographical conditions under which man ...
www.archive.org/.../geographyofworld00walluoft/geographyofw... - Cached - Similar -
# [PDF]
ČASOPIS ČESKÉHO TUNELÁŘSKÉHO KOMITÉTU A SLOVENSKEJ TUNELÁRSKEJ ...
File Format: PDF/Adobe Acrobat
(Geographical Information System) platform. The GIS platform provides the ...... The spatial arrangement of the slopes in the locations of both portals, ...
www.ita-aites.cz/files/tunel/komplet/tunel_4_07.pdf - Similar -

Mike :)

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Note added at 7 mins (2009-07-13 12:20:00 GMT)
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Obviously is meaning "The Americas" it would be "are"

Michael Powers (PhD)
United States
Local time: 22:20
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 40
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9 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +4
America is characterized by its unique topography


Explanation:
another perspective

Remy Arce
United States
Local time: 22:20
Native speaker of: Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
Selected automatically based on peer agreement.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Marsha Wilkie
2 hrs
  -> thanks Marsha!

agree  Jim Tucker (X): yes - though would use "is distinguished by" for the verb, and omit "unique" -- but "topography" is a good solution
3 hrs
  -> thanks Jim!, good suggestion!

agree  T o b i a s: Agree with Jim.
4 hrs
  -> thanks Tobias!

agree  Catherine Gilsenan
6 hrs
  -> thanks Catherine!
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12 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
America characterizes itself by the arrangement/layout of terrain


Explanation:
America characterizes itself by the arrangement/layout of terrain, rivers with large flows, big lakes and coastal differences.

I think that America is characterized by the way its terrain is laid out, and since there is no mentioning of which "America", I believe the sentence is talking about America including North, Middle and South. I believe the sentence wants to say that America has different faces characterized by the explanation of the terrain, rivers, lakes and coastal differences, i.e. a continent with different faces.

Yasutomo Kanazawa
Japan
Local time: 11:20
Native speaker of: Native in JapaneseJapanese
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
America is known for its mountain ranges


Explanation:
Since this is for a children's geography book, (what age?) I think it's best to keep it simple.

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Note added at 1 hr (2009-07-13 13:56:58 GMT)
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Since 'mountain ranges' is out, I would start the sentence with "America is known for its characteristic terrain, ...

Example sentence(s):
  • Wyoming state is in the northwestern region of United States and is known for its mountain ranges which surround half the state.

    Reference: http://www.visitusa.com/wyoming/beaches/index.htm
T o b i a s
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
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8 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
Characteristics of America are its mountain ranges, (its rivers....)


Explanation:
Oh, "Se caracteriza por"... This is just the kind of sentence I can imagine children learning off by heart, but having precious little idea of the meaning. Am I going to far with my simplified translation?!

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Note added at 9 mins (2009-07-13 12:21:57 GMT)
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NOT having a good typo day: "going TOO far". Sorry.

And I would stress that I have tried to offer a version that is child-friendly (all the more reason to apologise for the typo!)

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Note added at 4 hrs (2009-07-13 16:30:38 GMT)
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Mountain ranges won't work after all - too loose and doesn't work in the context of the rest of the text book.

We're talking about 12/13 year-olds, so I was probably pitching a bit too childish.

Perhaps, still departing quite some way from the Spanish style: *America is to be recognised by its terrain*.

I find "disposición" tautologous. Terrain has to be laid out!

Noni Gilbert Riley
Spain
Local time: 03:20
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 12

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Bubo Coroman (X): In this context, I think this is what it means
20 hrs
  -> Thanks - interesting comment you make in the Discussion section.
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