What is a center? It would seem that this question is purely rhetorical. After all, everyone understands that it is something that is in the most important place, at the main point on which attention is focused. Nevertheless, this is such a word, upon closer examination of which many nuances are revealed. This is exactly what we will do now, having studied all the subtleties of what the "center" means.
Several shades
Let's consider what meanings of the “center” are offered in the explanatory dictionaries. And also give examples of use corresponding to each of them.
- The middle, the most important part or the point of something. Example: “The capital of France is traditionally divided into 20 administrative districts. The first nine of them, perhaps, can be safely considered as the center of Paris. Although, of course, for a given city the center is a loose concept. After all, at least three claim to the title of the main square. ”
- In physics and geometry, a center is a point that is at the same distance from the edges of a figure or body. Or it may lie at the intersection of the major axes. Example: “In the center of the Earth is the deepest of all parts of the planet, called the core, or the geosphere, located under the mantle. It is assumed that it consists of an iron-nickel alloy, which has impurities of other elements. "
- This word can also be used figuratively. In this case, it is associated with the main place in which the most important resources of the country, infrastructure, and social group are concentrated. Example: "In ancient times, the center of gravity of civilization moved from the banks of the Nile, Euphrates and Tigris to ancient Greece and Rome, then it was transported to Central Europe, and today, according to Western analysts, it is in North America."
If someone thinks that the meanings of the word “center” end there, then he is deeply mistaken. Dictionaries are ready to provide us with several more options. Consider them.
In the organization and in the body
It turns out that the center can be not only in the body and figure, but also in the organization and in the living organism. Let us take a closer look at these variants of the meanings of the linguistic object that we are studying.
- The highest body in any community that performs leadership functions in it. Example: “The principle of operation of this combat organization was that it received general directives regarding the appointment of a time for the start and suspension of hostilities, as well as the circle of persons against whom they were directed, through its center. In all other matters, she had complete independence and the broadest powers. ”
- An important place in the human or animal body that is “responsible” for collecting information and for processing it. Example: “The nerve center is a complex of nerve cells that regulate a particular function of the body. These cells can be located compactly, focusing in one anatomical structure, and can accumulate in groups of neurons involved in the regulation of one function, but located in different parts of the central nervous system. "
- The word "center" refers to an organization whose tasks include serving the interests of several entities. It concentrates in itself information about the information flows of these entities. Example: “The announcement said that a legal center operating in the field of corporate law offers its services to legal entities and individual entrepreneurs.”
But this is not all the meanings of the word "center". As explanatory dictionaries suggest, it is also related to political vocabulary and technical terminology. It seems that it will be interesting to get acquainted with them.
In politics
In the vocabulary of political figures and analysts, the center is the name of the intermediate parties, whose positions are somewhere in between - between the views of the right and left parties. Example: “During the time of the German Empire, as well as the Weimar Republic, one of the most influential parties was the Catholic Center Party, which was an expression of the interests of the Catholic part of the German population.”
In technology
- In technology, a center is the name of a machine part that has a tapered end and serves to support workpieces during machining. Example: "The master strictly warned the students about the need to carefully monitor that the workpieces do not jump off the center, as otherwise they will be damaged."
- This is also called the universal machine, which combines the functions of several machines that are simpler. Example: “The need to avoid large losses has led to the creation of multioperational machines, including the functions of numerical control and automatic tool change. They are called machining centers. ”
Origin of the word
In conclusion, the study of the many meanings of the word "center" will turn to its etymology. To do this, look at the dictionary of Max Fasmer. It says that the origin of this token is from time immemorial, since it originates in the Proto-Indo-European language.
Presumably, there was the word kent, meaning "stabbing." Further, its transformation in the form of κέντρον and in the meaning "the tip of the compass, sting, sting" is found in ancient Greek. Then it goes into Latin under the guise of centrum and then into German, where it is spelled Zentrum. From there in the XVII century it was borrowed by the Russian language.